


Half-Blood Heroes: The False Prophecy

by ComicalCoffee



Category: Mamamoo, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/F, Multi, Post-The Trials of Apollo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-05-14 20:09:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14776448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ComicalCoffee/pseuds/ComicalCoffee
Summary: Solar is fifteen and has spent a good chunk of her life running around battling mythological monsters, outsmarting powerful gods, saving the world and generally being the ideal demigod, the Fates has weaved the tapestry of her destiny to be. As Solar continues to face numerous trials, she meets people and creatures who will aid her along the way and shape her perspective.But as her adventure continues, Solar must relearn a thing or two from her friends and overcome her own fatal flaw as their quest leads them around in circles to uncover horrifying events that will happen in the foreseeable future.





	1. Chapter 1

When Yongsun was a younger she always dreamed of travelling different countries, wandering and discovering diverse cultures. Yongsun wonders if maybe that was how she came to believe that she'd become a flight stewardess one day.

 

 

Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail with her faded Tesla ’87 black concert t-shirt she borrowed from a thrift store.

All she needs now is sunglasses and an attitude to be like any hip teenager.

 

A hip teenager who's about to get herself killed.

 

Hower was beside her driving, his eyes glued towards the open road. He had his Yankees cap on to hide the horns growing atop his head. Meanwhile Irene was sleeping in the backseat, dark hair bunched up in a messy bun.

 

Yongsun ponders about their location, recalls two days ago from the tattered map that she picked up somewhere in a gas station on Florence back in Wisconsin, is that they've followed the road to Minnesota. Guessing from the distance and days they've travelled (with attacks from a pesky karpoi in Rochester and a very friendly visit from a flock of black, metallic razor-sharp-feather-shooting birds) and the landmark boundary that was Sioux Falls from an hour ago, they're most likely travelling the roads of South Dakota. 

She opened the glove compartment of their beat up ford truck and saw the torn plastic label of a shipping location. She held it up and reread the information for a thousandth time.

 

USPS PRIORITY MAIL

Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport, Rock Springs, Wyoming. 82901

 

And a bar code after that. She placed it back to the compartment before gazing blankly at the dry road.

 

Four days ago, she and her friends arrived in a suspicious factory in Michigan. A great number of Blemmyae was roaming the whole property, either dressed as foremen or wearing mismatched dresses and suits, as poor attempt of blending in. They saw seemingly unaware mortals working alongside with those headless creatures, holding clipboards and helping with assorting different packages.

Many of the blemmyes were driving forklifts, moving crates and boxes in a hurried fashion.

 

It was only when they've infiltrated the building when things began to go downhill.

 

Ultimately, it took them four days to get here - four days of running for their lives like headless chickens.

 

That pretty much sums up every quest a demigod goes to, if you ask Yongsun.

 

 

They've been driving through the never-ending highway for days, only stopping when the truck needed gas or when they had to eat. And as much as Yongsun would be happy to switch tasks with Hower once in a while, unfortunately she doesn't know how to drive, and neither does Irene. So, there's really nothing better to do other than to survive the heat.

 

For quite a long while Yongsun just observed the landscape around them, trying to read road signs and failing ultimately with her Dyslexia acting up.

Then the radio blasted an old song which she easily recognized and was soon humming along.

 

"We got one shot in life so lets take it while we're still not afraid~" She bobbed her head, getting to old familiar beat of Rod Stewart’s 1981, Young Turks.

 

"Didn't take you to be a Rod Stewart fan." Hower commented grinning as he turned the volume a little higher.

 

"Not really. I just hear this song a lot back in the cabs in New York." She smiled and reverted back to singing.

 

 

The gang traveled a few more miles before they stumbled to the nearest city. Hower parked the vehicle down the street. Yongsun woke Irene up before exiting the truck.

The warm weather felt good, and the radiance of the summer sun better. Her direct exposure to sunlight had a positive effect as Yongsun felt energy buzzing in her veins. She jogged towards a lone parasol outside the parlor and waited for the other two to exit the car.

When Hower came out, he had his cargo pants on, his new balance shoes that was probably stuffed with styrofoam and his cap fitted snuggly on his brown curly hair. Irene came out next, face scrunched up, hair falling all over her hair and the girl still looked like she could walk on a runway.

 

"Had a nice nap cabbage?" Yongsun said as the grumpy girl brisk walked towards the same parasol for shade.

 

"Shut up. Like your any better, limp vegetable. Look at you looking like a walker. You getting ready for season 9?" Irene snaps back and for a long minute they just glared at each other.

Irene broke away and rolled her eyes. "We're hungry." She concluded which earned a nod of approval.

"Yep."

 

"Are you ladies done? C'mon let's eat something." Hower called as he started walking down the street. Both Irene and Yongsun begrudgingly followed him under the baking heat and a minute later they found ourselves seated inside a Mexican restaurant.

Hower ordered a veggie burrito while Irene asked for a breakfast dish called chilaquiles - which Yongsun had so much trouble reading. Clueless and hungry, Yongsun stared at the menu with a befuddled expression. In the end, Irene snatched the menu from her and ordered for her.

 

“How is it that we still have money for this?” Yongsun asks as she looks aroung the fancy restaurant but the other two just ignored her.

Once they were done ordering, Irene took a flier from one of the racks beside their table and started reading through it with pursed lips. 

 

It was the second week of summer vacation, for Yongsun. Normally vacation starts at the end of May and ends by first week of August. Demigods don't get quest by August since most campers return home but the Oracle seems to be resolute in spouting this prophecy. Campers just started going back home last week, year-rounders like Yongsun helped cleaning the camp. Dusting the old cabins, replacing the net in the volleyball pit, scrubbing barnacles in triremes and canoes. It was tiresome, really.

Yongsun, fiddling with the utensils got interrupted when Irene slaps the flier on the table.

 

"Apparently the name 'Wyoming' means the big plains." Irene points to a line from the flier. "I guess that's the second line of the prophecy then." She states grimly.

 

"Really?" Yongsun raises an eyebrow and inclines her head towards the flier to read.

 

"That's good, at least we know we're following the right track." Hower nods as he also peers towards the flier. "The airport is in Rock Springs, that might be further west from here."

 

"Great, great. Next is the forked tongue, am I right?" Yongsun asked, mentally going over the lines.

 

Irene nodded and recited the prophecy.

 

"You shall face a threat of headless men-"

 

"Clearly that was in Michigan."

 

"-To find lost comrades at the great plains,

You shall follow a river of forked tounge,

And fail and leave with one who got stung."

 

Irene looked pale as she finished the line. Yongsun squeezed her hand a little in assurance.

 

"Do we have any idea where we could find a river with a forked tongue?" She asks Hower in which he shook his head. The three huddled together in an intense discussion of events, of gods and goddesses they've encountered so far, and trying to make sense of what it all means.

 

Their discussion ended promptly as the waitress arrived with the food. They sat in silence as they munched away, each one wondering of different ways this quest could play out.

Yongsun supposed that the food was great - better than what she originally expected at least, but as she chews her savory tamales, she can't help but feel the taste of dread lingering with every bite.

 

Immediately after she finished eating, she walked to the rack and browsed through fliers and brochures.

 

Not long till she came back with a brochure of Yellowstone National Park and Jackson Hole Tourism.

Yongsun skimmed through the brochure contents until she arrived at the map section. Prophecies can be very vague and misleading, (She knows that too well) for all they know a river with forked tongue could be mean a river serpent, not to mention the failing and getting stung part.

Yongsun didn't want to mention it but she could tell that Irene is very worried about the last line of the prophecy - this was her prophecy after all - and for the past days the girl would insist on taking first watch, making petty excuses of "uncomfortable sleeping situations" and end up spending five hours of overthinking before waking either of the two to sleep herself.

 

Just when Yongsun was about to give up searching, she arrived at the map from Jackson Hole.

 

"Here!" She exclaimed and showed it to Irene.

 

"It may not be this but it's the closest to a forked river I could find."

 

"That's great Yongsun!" Irene smiles, the first genuine smile she'd seen since they left New York. She turns to Hower "And you say the airport is west from here right?"

 

"Yeah, maybe, I'm not really sure but yes." Hower sputters his lemonade. He curses and takes a few napkins to wipe himself. Sneakily as if no one's looking, he stuffed the napkins on his mouth. Yongsun snorted at his semi-flustered face when he realizes she was watching him.

 

Focusing, Yongsun nodded determinedly and turned to Irene.

 

"We could check the airport first-"

 

"Then the river." Irene finished. Eyes alight with the same determination.

 

"Great. Now we have a plan, let's get going." Yongsun rose from her chair and started for the door. Irene right behind with the brochures in hand.

 

On normal situations they might've looked like eager tourists going for an early vacation trip.

 

How I wish, Yongsun thought bitterly.

 

They waited for a second as Hower fumbled with paying before the three set out.

 

 

 

Hours later they've arrived at Rocky Springs. Irene took her original spot, sitting shotgun as she holds the map from the brochure and together with Hower, they navigated through traffic.

From the distance Yongsun could already see the airport. A wide expanse of flat land that gave way to the runway as rocky mountain ranges rose from the north.

They exit the freeway, down and turned right to the gateway of the structure and parked at the airport.

Yongsun reached for her scimitars which glowed bronze at the foot of her seat. She pulled them up and caressed the blades lovingly before tucking them into the sheath and strapping them like a belt. The scimitars don't have a form that offers subtlety, but she loves them nonetheless and besides, it allows for a second function so there's really no complaints there.

She rummaged around for extra clothing and came up with Irene's plaid jacket, fumbling with the fabric she managed to tie it around her waist in order to hide her weapons.

In the front seat Hower was awkwardly loading the revolver they got from cabin 9, it shoots bullets that are coated with celestial bronze that could easily vaporize monsters. He gingerly sets it on the dash board before running to the back of the truck to retrieve his trusty old wooden club.

On the other hand, Irene is furiously wiping the blade of her machete with hand wipes they've stolen from a diner. Yongsun doesn't understand why she's trying to polish it, when they’re inevitably going to fight monsters one way or another.

 

Once the trio was ready they grabbed their packs and set out.

 

 

 

There's no one inside the establishment.

 

Well, they saw two to three staffs inside but other than that, there is no one else.

 

A guy then came out. Bald head and a cigarettes sticking out of his lips. Carefully, they approached him, suspicious that he may be a monster.

Looking as normal as possible so far, Hower was the one who engaged contact with the man as the two girls remained a few feet away, scanning the area.

 

"Yeah we're having a break. Lunch tine y'know, probably back by three." We heard the man reply with a thick accent.

 

The statement alone was suspicious enough so the three decided to snoop around, soon they discovered that the doors are locked and no one is inside. They looked around and peeked through the windows, all they saw is a Quiznos stall and a popcorn machine on the corner.

Sneaking around isn't even an issue. Yes, they saw one CCTV camera but they highly doubt that it was even turned on but if it was, they could only pray that the mist works its magic and disguises them, preferably as lost tourists.

They sneaked to the back and towards the hangars where they saw a few stored commercial planes. It was only when they neared a particular hangar that was closed that they heard voices.

 

"Move! Move! Move!" Came a shrieking voice.

 

The three immediately shuffled for cover on the side of the hangar, hearts beating erratically from surprise. Hiding behind the cover of a pile disregarded crates. Irene creeped side wards before poking Yongsun's arm and gesturing to the window. Both nodded and followed as Irene perched herself on a crate and took a peek.

As if she'd seen a ghost, Irene's eyes widened and this prompted Yongsun to prop herself beside Irene to take a look.

Anxiety bubbled on her stomach as she watched various monsters roamed the interior of the massive hangar. Griffins with sleek dark feathers soared across the air, clutching mail and crates with their explicably sharp talons. Blemmyaes, Cyclopes, Hellhounds and other creatures bustled around in vehicles loading equipment and objects that suspiciously looked like gold and bronze weaponry.

With a start both girls realised that it indeed was a buck ton of weaponry when a blemmyae driving a forklift with a crate passed close to their window.

 

"-can't lose them again!" This time a man's voice booms from above. The two girls looked up and saw a man walking the catwalk, shouting orders and threats.

"I swear if any of you blows this up I will send you - from wherever hole you've crawled back from - to Tartarus myself!" He roared.

 

It was only when Hower tugged their shirts that the two girls woke from their dreadful trance and leapt away from the window. Hower hauled them to crouch beside him on the cover and pointed behind them. The two turned around and saw jeeps and vans being loaded with monsters and weaponry.

 

"Hey Bill, you smell a goat 'round here?" One monsters asks. Judging by his and his friend's muscular shape, they might be cyclopes.

 

"Dunno. There's a lot of cattle and sheep around here, I've no idea what you mean." His friend answers.

 

"No, jackass, I mean a satyr!"

 

At their side they felt Hower tense.

 

"I dunno Cris, my nose's been off lately. Especially after that half-blood bashed it with a hammer." Billy grumbled their voices getting closer.

 

The trio glanced at each other. Surprise is their key here.

 

"Even if you didn't get your stupid nose hammered it was useless anyway." Cris, the other cyclops said. This time the trio are sure that the two are heading their way.

 

Yongsun's hand instintively rested on the hilt of her scimitars, posed and ready to attack.

 

"Go on then, have a sniff. Let's see if your nose is any better." Bill growled. Yongsun could feel the tremor their heavy footsteps create as they move forwards.

 

With a huff the two cyclopses drops the empty wooden crates beside them.

 

A loud and long sniff on the air made the hair on Yongsun's nape stand up, she braces for attack. And before the cyclops even finishes his inhale she jumps from their cover, twist, and beheads Chris with one clear motion.

 

Bill stumbled in suprise as his companion burst into dust, but not a second later a bronze weapon pierces his gut.

 

"Ow." He manages before bursting to a cloud of dust, revealing Irene's prized machete.

 

"What was that?!" Nearby, a monster growls in alarm. "Bill! Cris! What's goin on?!"

 

Yongsun makes eye contact with Irene. They both nod. Understanding passing between them.

 

Bringing the hilt of her scimitars together she hears a click and a soft whir as a bronze string sprouted from the tip, connecting to the other end and forming a bow. The curve of her blades serves as the base of the bow, the joint hilt being the bow grip.

She feels the weight slowly settle on her hip as the previous sheaths turn into a quiver full of arrows.

Yongsun's finger touches a particular coloured nock, she draws the string aligning the head to the nock that formed from the adjoined hilt of the scimitars. The arrow flies with a piercing whistle and the farthest jeep being loadedburst into flames.

The explosion pops the nearby monster into dusts. Using the diversion created by the explosion, the other two surges from their cover to attack the other monsters. Irene brandishes her machete in wide arcs, disemboweling a group of Laistrygonians. Hower waves his wooden club in the air, pounding the heads of a flock of Harpies.

The uproar created by their presence alerted monsters that were inside the hangar.

Yongsun immediately exhausted her stock of explosive arrows, but it proved worth it nonetheless as it managed to destroy three vans and two jeeps loaded with monsters and weapons. As she nocked arrows after arrows, swiping left to right as monsters charged at her, more monsters came. Sooner or later they'll be overwhelmed.

 

A cry caught her attention. Snapping towards the sound, Yongsun sees Hower clutching his leg in the midst of a pack of Cynocephali.

Yongsun quickly brings her fingers to her nouth and lets out a shrill whistle. The Cynocephali clutched their dog ears and fell to their knees, others completely blacked out.

"Come on! Fall back!" Yongsun screamed as she ran to Hower's aid. She slings Hower's arm around her shoulders and helps him drag himself away from the battle.

Yongsun sees Irene behind them, covering their backs.

 

"After them!" Monsters roars and charges. In final attempt for escape, Irene brings out a pouch. Inside were poppy seeds that she received from her mother before the start of her quest. She remembers her mother's words, warning her to only use it in dire need.

This situation is definitely dire which made her grasp a fitsful of seed and throw them on the ground.

The seeds made popping sounds as thick grey clouds escaped their little pods. Monsters that inhaled the scent immediately fell in paralyzing sleep which caused confusion and disarray among the monsters at the rear.

 

Yongsun calls for Irene as she was already at the car, helping Hower settle in the back seat. Irene turns and runs towards their car as Yongsun sat shotgun.

 

"You have to drive!" Yongsun says angling her body out of the window of the car to continue shooting.

 

"I don't know how to drive!" Irene cries.

 

"Hower can't! His leg got bitten!"

 

"But-!"

 

"Just drive the damn car, Joohyun!"

 

Anxiously, Irene settles at the driver's seat.

 

"What do I do?! What do I do?!" She fumbles for the seatbelt in panic.

 

"We don't have time for road safety Joohyun! Just freaking turn the ignition!" Yongsun shouts as the cloud created by the poppy seeds starts to dissipate and the monsters from the back starts bulldozing the ones who fell asleep.

 

"How?!" Irene screams back. Fumbling to turn on the engine.

 

"Hands on the wheel Irene!" Hower wheezes from the back, rummaging his supplies as he tries to bandage his injury. "Right pedal is go, beside it is stop-"

 

"Just step on it!"

 

With that Irene turns the engine and slams the accelarator. The vehicle lurches forward, almost throwing Yongsun out of the window.

 

"AAAAAHHHHHH"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted also on AFF.  
> Lots of love to you guys


	2. Chapter 2

“This is it. We're going to die, aren't we? By a freaking car crash, so heroic.” Yongsun says as she detaches her bow, the string pops and whirs, a second later the hilts separates and reverts back to her swords. She heaves a shaky breath and clutches the seatbelt as their beat down ’79 Ford pickup truck ran over a road sign.

 

“Shut up! I'm trying my best okay?!” Irene shrieks as she swerves from one lane to another, narrowly avoiding other vehicles.

 

Gunshot soon started ringing from their rear.

 

The trio ducked their heads down for cover.

 

“What are you doing?!” Yongsun cries “Get your head back up! You're going to crash the car!”

“Well I'd rather not have a bullet in my skull actually!”

“They're catching up!” Hower calls from the back. “Irene drive faster!”

“I am driving faster!”

 

Hower adjusts his position, leaning over the door and out the window as he slips the revolver given to him and takes aim. He aims for the right tire, pulls the trigger and misses.

Yongsun watches the scene from the broken rearview mirror. Sweat glistening on her forehead, scratches and bruises littered her body and her arms felt limp from exhaustion. But adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

By Hower's fifth missed shot, he reloads the gun and hands it to Yongsun.

 

“You shoot.”

 

Yongsun grips the gun and feels the weight settle uncomfortably against her hands. Normal weapons such as guns or grenades never worked well with mythical monsters, but she grips the gun tightly. She quickly peeks out of the window, a bullet narrowly hitting her as it shatters the side mirror.

She curses in surprise but reclaims her position and aiming for the tire. She levels the gun with her limb, trying to steady her aim against the constant motion of the car. She shoots, it misses. Frustrated, she aims again, this time the bullet stays true, it hits the tire and the jeep swerves and loses its control. It crashes to the van next to it, but the jeep that was behind it swiftly avoided the obstruction and sped towards them.

 

“Can't this damned truck get any faster?!” Yongsun screams as bullet rain on them again.

“This is the fastest it can go!” Irene screams back.

“Make it faster!” Yongsun slaps the dashboard of the four-seater old pickup as if it would make it faster.

“How much faster do you want it to be?! Do you want to die!?”

 

The jeep catches up and roughly bumps the rear of the truck.

Irene and Yongsun both lets out an ear popping screech as the truck lurches violently.

“We're going to die!!!”

“Stop shouting!” Hower shouts backs. “Gods darnit! Get your heads together!”

“Oh my gods, oh my gods” Irene chants with shallow breaths.

 

The jeep started speeding to their side. Yongsun sees three menacing Karpoi driving the jeep. The karpos that was managing the wheel grinned with their sharp canine teeth, beating their wings excitedly. This particular one looked exactly like the one they encountered in Rochester, with its skin being a shade lighter to the other’s green chlorophyll hue and the red, white and black kernels that was pitted on its face. Also, the flower.

 

“Hey! What did you say this thing was again?” Yongsun quickly asked amidst their disastrous road trip.

“It’s a Karpos! Grain spirit!” Irene yelled back after a quick glance.

“I know that genius! What type of grain?”

“Quinoa! It’s Quinoa I think.”

 

“Surrender! Surrender!” The Karpoi chanted as they reached the side of the truck. Yongsun takes a deep breath awakening her actress' spirit.

“Ha! Yeah!” Yongsun started laughing, grinning tauntingly towards the Karpoi. “I shall surrender but I will only surrender to a REAL Karpos!”

“What are you doing?!” Irene hisses but Yongsun pays her no mind.

The three Karpoi snarled, their pure green eyes gleaming. “We are real Karpoi!”

“I will give you cereal!” Screamed the Quinoa.

“Oats!” Another that was on the pedal.

“No! Corn!”

“Both of you are real Kapoi! But not that one!” Yongsun points accusingly towards Quinoa. Willing her face in her most betrayed expression. “He’s not a real grain! He’s a fake!”

The two Karpoi gasped in shock. Convinced. Looking at their friend, accusingly. “You’re not a real Karpoi?”

“No! She’s lying!” Cried Quinoa.

“You’re reign of deception ends now Quinoa! You will never be a true grain!” Yongsun pointed at the wide eyed Karpos. The two other Karpoi started snarling at their friend. “You may be a popular grain for people wanting to be healthy with your gluten free properties but this charade has gone far too long!”

 

“Traitor!” At that the two Karpoi turned into whirlwinds of corn kernels and oats and attacked Quinoa.

 

Sadly, as Quinoa got slapped by cereal their jeep lost control and the steering wheel got yanked and it collides with their beat-up Ford.

 

"Shit!" Irene curses almost biting her tongue off.

 

As the jeep ram them again, a honk came in front of them.

 

"We're going to crash!" Irene screams.

 

Quickly, Yongsun yanks the wheel to the far left and they skidded past the second lane, smash through road railing and into the small patch of trees.

Irene slams the brake just before they hit the trunk of the tree.

The trio sat there for a few seconds, hearts beating erratically.

 

“I'm never going to drive again.” Irene breathes.

 

“W-we have to go...” Yongsun stutters as she fumbles to unlock her door. Her legs wobble and she clutched the side for support. Once her nerves calmed down, she went and helped Hower exit.

“I'm okay, I'm okay.” Hower assures as he rejects Yongsun's support. “It's not deep. I'll survive.”

 

"What was that Solar?” Irene says, leaning at the side a little, face white as paper. "How did you even know that Quinoa is gluten free?"

“I saw it when I sneaked into Aphrodite’s cabin a year ago. They always have the good stuff you know, they even have vitamins for healthy skin.” Yongsun explains. Taking her time to compose herself.

Hower laughs. “I say it’s brilliant.” 

“Yes it was, praise me more”

“Maybe if we didn’t crash the pickup” Irene snorts and pats the side of the truck. For someone who said they will never drive again, she was quite fond of the beat-up Ford.

“Okay. Just...” Yongsun sighs. Taking a moment to gather her thoughts. She looked around and saw their burnt out car, (littered with bullet holes that miraculously didn't hit any of them) the jeep of the Karpoi that crashed with the previous car from the other lane, to the two helpless beings beside her - as lost as she is. Her eyes then settle to the road ahead.

“There's a gasoline station over there.” She pointed. “It looks close enough. Think the truck can make it?”

Hower moves to the hood and pops it open with a smack, heavy smoke greets his face.

He shakes his head. “The engines busted.”

At her side she hears Irene sigh heavily. “We better start walking then. At least those grain spirits won’t be interrupting us anymore.”

 

 

The trio then found themselves at a Valley Mart smack in the middle of nowhere. They entered the building, relief flooding their system as the blast of air condition touched their skin.

Yongsun moves across the aisle as Hower limps towards the collection of Gatorades. Tufts of fur poked out from Hower's ripped pants, the makeshift bandage semi-soaked in satyr blood.

 

“Filthy.”

 

Yongsun's attention snap towards the voice. A man dressed in red plaid shirt and a jumper says, his boot-clad feet swung in front of the store counter arrogantly. He knocked his timberland boots, but Yongsun suspected they were dupes.

Yongsun narrows her eyes, resting her hands on her blades.

Irene seem to pick up the change in the atmosphere and immediately shows up on Yongsun's side. Yongsun notes his golden hair that was partially covered by the valley mart cap atop his head, his tanned skin, the reddish freckles on his nose and his unnerving dark green eyes.

 

“Who are you?” Irene breaks the silence that stretched for long moments.

“Disrespectful as always, you demigods.” The man scoffs, his words laced with an accent.

 

Yongsun feels a cold hand brush her nape. The cold feeling settling as she looks at the god.

 

“Forgive us lord! We're only passing by from a quest!” Hower was quick to respond, he walks towards his two companions, carrying bottles of Gatorade and first aid kit.

“Filthy Satyr! Your blood is going to stain my tiles! Off with your hooves!” The god exclaims as he points at Hower's injury.

“Stop calling him filthy.”

“Well, unless you volunteer to polish my tiles, then I suggest you shut your mouth, daughter of Apollo.”

 

Yongsun clenches her jaw in attempt to subdue her anger.

Just a few moments of knowing the god and he's already pissing her off. She glares at the god, wishing she'd inherited the ability in incinerate someone with a glare. Irene squeezes her elbow and steps forward.

The god’s eye snap to Irene, the glint of interest was unmistakable.

 

“We're just going to restock supply and we'll be out of your hair immediately.” Irene says to appease the god. If anything, they don't need a pissed god hunting them when they have a horde of monsters already doing just that.

 

The gods eyes bore into hers with surprising intensity.

 

“A child of Demeter. The Fates must be really pokin' fun of me.” The god's mouth forms a snarl. In Irene's mind, she's already going through names of gods or goddess that was associated with her mom. Many names pop up but she can't identify this god in front of her. Irene's eyes stray on the gods plaid shirt, an employee pin seemed to wink at her. She squints her eyes a little in attempt to read it, but only came up with a jumble of letters

 

HI! I'M:

KMYAITSE

 

Reading two consecutive consonants will always be a pain in the ass.

 

“Why Lord, I'm sure the Fates surely must've planned our meeting. You must be important.” Irene offers, holding the grimace when she said lord.

“Oh yes, indeed!” The god exclaims dramatically, he waves his hand in a flourish.

 

The three instantly knew they had the god. Yongsun side-eyes Irene, impressed with her quick improvisation.

 

“You know, I used to be a demigod like yourselves! Oh, how I miss the old days!” He sighs as he recalls all of his past glorious days of heroism.

 

If there's one thing you learn from encountering gods and goddesses is that they'll never pass up the chance to sing praises about themselves and their glorious feats of courage.

It's like asking a person what’s their name and they hand you their resume.

 

“I used to slay monsters and hideous beasts! I was blessed, favoured by the gods in my conquests. A hero like no other, if I say so myself.” The god still fashioned a faraway look on his face, until it melted and he settled his mossy eyes towards Irene once again. “That is until your mother turned me to a minor deity.”

“My mom?”

“Yes, I used to accompany your mother. I was once worshipped in Athens as the hero of beans!” The god's eyes had this mad glint. “Now I'm stuck here. Forgotten by the Olympians. Told to build my sanctuary in this forsaken place.”

Yongsun resists the urge to laugh and steps up

“Surely you're not forgotten, for the past decade both camps have made an effort to build temples for every Greek and Roman god there is.”

“Oh, I'm not necessarily forgotten. You wouldn't believe how much people actually likes beans, I won't be fading easily.”

“Then...”

“Yes, Kim Yongsun?” He asked challengingly, a grin painting his tanned face.

 

Yongsun stiffened the sound of her own name

 

“Don't call me that.” Yongsun grits her teeth.

“Or what little demigod?” His mossy eyes twinkled in mischief, almost as if he's expecting Yongsun to overstep her boundaries. Waiting for a reason to strike her down.

“I say we struck a deal.” Irene cuts in abruptly, stepping in front of her friend. “Look, my lord, we really need transportation right now. If you could help us get to Jackson, that would be very much appreciated.”

“You have the nerve to bargain with me, child of Demeter.” He says in a biting tone. But a different glint shows in his eyes. “What's in it for me?”

“Um...I could tell you to my mom.” Irene offers “I could ask her to give you a better location for your sanctuary, move you a little closer to New York?”

 

He narrows his eyes but doesn't respond.

 

“I could also maybe ask her to give you a raise?”

 

The god snorts. Irene tries to offer more, and before Irene accidentally sells away her future - Yongsun, with an idea rummages through her pack. When she finds the item she steps around Irene and deposits a pouch on the counter in front of the god. Golden drachmas spill over the counter twinkling temptingly towards the god.

 

“Is that payment enough?” Maybe then you can buy authentic Timberlands, she almost says. Yongsun glares at the suddenly interested god. 

 

He raises his eyebrow. Yongsun growls in annoyance and turns to Hower, who was adamant on staying silent and unnoticed. She holds her hand impatiently. Hower hesitates, she glares. Hower relents and deposits his own pouch of drachma to her awaiting hands.

Yongsun turns to the god. She holds it up, she doesn't miss how the god's eyes glowed green with greed, anticipation boiling at the surface of his irises. The corner of her mouth lifts up a little. She jangles it temptingly infront of him.

 

“I give you this, in turn you help us with transportation and safe passage.”

The god licks his lips. “I can't interfere with your quest, child.”

“I'm not asking you to. But, you know, just blast a few caravans of monsters for us.”

His mossy eyes narrow. Then the god turns to Irene. “And I assume you'll keep your part of the deal, child? You promise to suggest my name to your mother correct?”

Irene nods.

The god stays silent for a few tense moments.

“You have yourselves a deal demigods.”

“Swear to the river of Styx.” Yongsun snarls.

The god gives her a stink eye. “I swear to the goddess Styx to provide aid for your quest, transportation and that.”

“And blasting a few monsters for us.”

“Yes yes, and that. Now hand over the pouch.”

 

Yongsun hands the pouch and the god smiles triumphantly.

“Now, our transportation?”

The god snaps his fingers absentmindedly, focused in counting his drachmas.

“A 10-wheeler carrying beans across the road is heading to Jackson Hole, I suggest you get going the driver just refilled his tank.”

The three peers acros the glass and true to his prediction, a truck was parked from the other side of the road. The trio rushed to the door, Hower stuffing the first aid and Gatorade bottles inside his pack and shuffled for the door.

Just as Yongsun was about to exit after Hower, the god suddenly spoke.

“You know, daughter of Apollo, you have a very interesting future ahead of you. A true hero’s journey." The god turns to look at her with a way too happy grin. “I suggest you let go of past grudges, child, it taints your light. Your way too rash for a child of the sun god, find someone who'll smooth those edges and maybe, your story won't be a complete tragedy.”

 

Yongsun almost flips him the finger but she keeps it, turning away and following her two friends instead.

 

The three are now huddle behind heavy boxes inside the moving truck, silent and tired, they watched how the warm orange glow of the sunset filtered across the slit of the truck's metal doors.

 

In sliver of light of the warm glow sunset, Yongsun's mind started to wander.

 

15 years, and more than half of her life she spent at camp, going out on quests and generally risking her life wherever she goes. 15 years, that's probably a few years longer than normal demigod lifespan - by this point Yongsun accepted the fact that weird and terrifying shit was going to be smacked right into her face.

Like that one abrupt quest for her dad in Hawaii. You'd think since he brought her to Hawaii her quest would be fairly simple, like maybe Apollo decided to be good dad and treat her to a vacation (a girl can hope), maybe needed someone to fetch him a cocktail, or polish his golden surfboard, but no, instead she had to clear the remaining Telekhines who went into hiding in one of Hephaestus's favorite forge, Kilauea Volcano - all because Apollo lost a bet, and they have to send a hero to do the job.

Provided that he bestowed her fire protection, it still wasn't a pleasant memory. It's like the game the floor is lava except that it's real lava and you have to kill monsters that are a weird mix of a human, a dog and a seal.

From all the stories and lessons they tell at camp, one was absoluetly clear. You can't be bitter with gods. No matter how much you just want to.

And sometimes it works. A few days after, she dreamt of her dad, pestering Hephaestus, borderline harassing the god into making a weapon. She can still remember how Apollo smiled brightly at her before she woke up with a parcel next to her wrapped in a golden ribbon.

It was too good to be true that she immediately brought her gift to the forge and blowtorched it and gave it a few smacks for good measure, when it came out unscathed she literally jumped on the spot with happiness.

 

Yongsun smiles a little and caresses her blades.

 

But the smile fades as soon as it appeared.

 

A hero’s journey.

 

The god's words echo through her mind. Replaying like a morbid reminder.

The familiar feeling of emptiness started crawling from the pits of her stomach, churning till it reaches her chest and squeezes. 

Is this what she'll keep doing till her inevitable death? Quest after quest, till one day she just... disappears? Die, like every hero in a Greek tragedy?

 

For a few months now, she had been contemplating on moving to San Francisco for the next few years, finally settling and applying for college at New Rome. Yongsun just hopes that she'd finally be able to live her life - be a normal teenager for once.

 

But where was she now? In a moving truck, travelling to unfamiliar lands, probably going to get her ass killed.

 

“Solar?”

 

Irene's voice cut through her depressive thoughts. The sun has fully sunk now, the whole space completely dark except for the light coming from the green glowstick Irene holds.

“Take a rest. I'm taking first watch.”

 

Solar looks at her friend's tired yet worried gaze.

 

“I'm okay.” She averts her eyes, sees Hower already asleep all curled up in the dark corner.

 

Yongsun shifts, laying her back against the cool metal wall inside the truck. The two stay like that for long minutes, both lost in their thoughts.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Yongsun breathes deeply and closes her eyes. Her chest squeezes painfully, her heart pounding harder and harder as if it's trying to fight off the constriction of her chest. The ringing on her ears muffles outward sounds untill all she could hear is her heartbeat.

 

Gods dammit, Yongsun. Calm down. She chants to herself. Come on. Just breathe.

 

Finally, when she opened her eyes Irene was in front of her, hands lifted yet unsure of what to do. She kept her distance, eyes glassy, face scrunched up.

 

Pathetic. Yongsun thinks to herself. She knows how the quest is already taking its toll on Irene, and here she is being weak when her friend needed someone who she can lean on to.

 

“Sorry, I just-”

 

“No, It’s okay.” Irene says and scoots a little closer when Yongsun nods. Up close, Yongsun sees how Irene's hands shake, how she balls them into fists and bites her bottom lip.

 

“Sit with me.” She gently pats the space beside her.

 

“Okay.” Irene obliges and this time when silence settled, no dark thoughts crept inside their heads. Only relief. They are not alone.

 

 

It was mid-morning when Yongsun thought that she would die of suffocation.

Yongsun woke up from her slumber when light peeked through the slit on the truck's metal doors. First thing she noticed is that Irene was no longer sitting by her side, and second, it was so hot. Her shirt was soaked in sweat, her bum ached from sleeping in a sitting position.

The air stank of soil and dirt, something Yongsun didn't notice the night before. The air is heavy when she inhales.

 

“You okay?” Across from her Hower sat, looking at her apprehensively.

“Just a dream. Can't even remember it.” Yongsun slowly reaches for the fob on the doors and swings it open.

 

Fresh morning air caresses her face. She sighs contentedly and gazes at the vast plains and mountains.

 

“We must be close.” Hower comments as he too, gazes outside. He looked better this time, the wound on his leg slowly recovering.

“Do you think that god kept his promise?”

Hower shrugged, handing her a bottle of Gatorade that Hower mixed with the ambrosia they have left.

“I can't really smell anything out here, it just smells like animal manure and fur.”

Yongsun makes a face unintentionally which causes Hower to laugh a little. She stretches her sore limbs before looking inside the truck and seeing Irene, curled up into a ball a few steps away from her.

Yongsun pats Irene's leg gently, glad that her friend is finally getting some rest.

 

“You know that Irene trusts you right?” Hower suddenly says. “We trust you Solar”

Yongsun turns back to him, eyebrows furrowed. “Of course, I also trust the both of you. Where is this coming from?”

Hower looks straight at her. “You tend to think too deeply sometimes” He points out. “And I know that's because you're worried.”

Yongsun her inner self curl up defensively but doesn't say a word against him. Knowing that Satyrs can read emotions.

“Both you and Irene worry too much, and I guess that's because you two have strong-willed personalities. But you need to learn to let people take control sometimes.”

“I know that...” Yongsun says softly.

“Yes, you do. But ever since we set out both you and Irene are in some sort of conflict. Your decisions clash as if you're always trying to outmatch each other.” Hower readjusts his legs in a more comfortable manner.

“How do you know all this?”

Hower shrugs. “We've been together for five days. And besides, I've been around emotionally imbalance teenagers with parental complexes and impulsive tendencies for quite a long time.”

 

Yongsun grumbles at his answer and rolls her eyes.

 

“I'm just saying. You say you trust us, then lets us share your burden.”

Yongsun slumps against the metal wall. Feeling a little too exposed. This is too much emotional reconciliation for the start of the day.

It was one thing, having your emotions read by someone so easily - it was a whole different thing when they're laid out in front of you, flaws and errors of your thoughts and actions being poked and prodded. Yongsun understands that Hower does not mean to make her uncomfortable, but if anything, it just made her insecure and confused.

Of course, Yongsun understands that Irene is more than capable to lead this quest - this was her prophecy after all - but there was just so many things that could go wrong in their journey. Yongsun's been through that. Survived that. You plan your quest, focusing hard on making it work, and then things go horribly wrong and, in the end, you’d have to just wing it. It happens all the time which is why Yongsun learned to always be on her toes.

 

"You're doing it again.” Hower scolds.

“I'm not.”

A long silence stretched after that.

 

“You know, Satyrs don't normally go on heroic quests, unless a prophecy state so.” He looks at her, diciding to steer the conversation to something lighter. "The last time I went out is when I brought your sister to camp."

Yongsun relaxes, finally, at the mention of her sister. “Yeah, she can be a handful sometimes.”

“Oh, you bet. I've never seen a demigod more hyperactive than her.”

Yongsun gazes outside, towards the sun slowly rising on the horizon. Its golden rays blending with the deep blue sky. A warm sort of comfort settles over her at the sight of the glow of sunrise.

“Yeah, she is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The god, Kyamites(Cyamites) -  the demi-god or hero of the cultivation of beans.
> 
> If you guys have questions, ideas or just wanna talk, hit me up on twitter. I'd love to talk with you awesome peeps!


	3. Chapter 3

By the time the truck stopped, it was already noon. Irene was awake and the trio had a spartan brunch of dried beef jerky they found after turning Hower’s back pack upside down.

 

Once they've arrived, the three jumped out as the truck stopped on a red light.

 

They wove through the bustle pedestrians, passed shops that featured new types of fishing rods, brand new hiking gears and camping supplies. The trio stopped at a T-intersection, between a Wendy's restaurant and a hardware store, and looked around.

Snowcapped mountains could be seen from the distance but weather was pleasantly warm and not a single cloud marred the deep blue sky.

 

They asked around for directions, easily passing up as tourists going for a hiking trip. The trio then started walking the highway in which a helpful man had pointed.

 

A breeze of cool wind blew, result from the surrounding mountain ranges made the air crisp and fresh, making their walk a bit bearable. They walked close to the road but kept at least a few meters of distance, opting to trek through the thin lines of trees.

 

An hour or two has passed, cars passed them by, honking obnoxiously while they kept their pace light, occasionally switching to mid-jog when they see a van on the road.

Out of the sudden, a group of over-enthusiastic bikers cycled beside them and even conversed with the trio. The adrenaline junkies briefly asked them if they visited Jackson for a hike before they got carried away with their enthusiasm of cycling the famous Teton Pass.

 

Continuing their walk, the bridge can be finally be seen in the distance, a few more patient minutes and they’ll finally reach the river.

 

But Hower suddenly stops.

 

Yongsun blinks the sunlight as she turns to ask Hower what was wrong. The satyr raises his head and takes a sniff.

“I smell something.”

Yongsun and Irene straightens reflexively.

“Monsters?” Irene inquires.

 

Hower doesn't respond. He inhales deeply, tracking the scent he picked up before snapping his head towards an off-road path to their right. Without waiting for the two's permission, Hower marches towards the path.

 

“Hower? Where are we going?” Yongsun hisses as she sees a ‘NO TRESSPASSING’ sign.

 

But Hower still doesn't answer, his strides became faster and frantic. The trees in the area became denser, the thick green canopy shading the area against the strong sunlight. As they continued, the branches of the trees soon blocked any light from reaching the ground. 

 

The two girls caught up to Hower when he slowed his pace. Yongsun’s heart races as she sees Hower's pale face.

 

“I smell blood.” He states before running forward in full speed.

 

“Hower! Wait!” Irene and Yongsun chased their friend through the forest. They stumbled over tree roots, swatting low branches and spiderwebs away from their faces.

Their shoes pounded against the earth heavily, and a particular step made a crack.

 

It was a little too late when they realized what happened and the next thing they know they've fallen through a hole on the land.

 

Weirdly, Yongsun started to think about the rumors she had heard about falling into Tartarus. There was so few of heroes that have braved Tartarus and made it back alive. Yongsun briefly wonders if this is how it feels like to fall to Tartarus.

 

With relief, she fell on the ground, but immediately regretted the thought as she fell quite hard on her back that she was sure it would bruise pretty badly.

 

She slowly stood up, slightly disoriented but otherwise in one piece. She heard Hower and Irene both groaned as they clutched the nearest wall for support.

The hole that the three fell in was completely dark, except from the light that was coming from the fallen ceiling of earth, from which they've fallen to, that was at least 20 or 30 feet high. The air inside the cavern was cold and damp, an eerie feeling quickly made Yongsun's skin tingle. She stepped around the rubble scattered around them, stumbling and almost falling to her face as she reached the nearest wall.

Yongsun ran a hand through the rough-hewn stone walls of the cave – pulling back and seeing black smudges on her palms.

 

“Where are we?” Irene asked. Her voice echoing in the dark.

   
Yongsun examines the black smudges. “I think… We fell in a coal mine.” She walks closer to the wall and felt a long rectangular wooden shaft that supported the cave. “There’s traces of coal and there's wooden beams along the walls so I assume it is.” 

Her eyes traced the ceiling that was supported by worn out wooden logs, forgotten davy lamps hung around the edges, the mesh screen torn apart. 

 

“Hower?”

 

Their satyr friend has trotted a few steps ahead of them, his sneakers long discarded along the pile of rock they've fallen with.

 

“This is bad.” He croaks nervously.

“You smell it? Here?” Yongsun steps over a pile of debris.

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“I think so.” He swallows. The three stared off in the darknes, a sense of dread creeping to their bones.

 

“...Let’s go.” Irene walks towards them, holding out a glowstick for Hower. “Lead the way.”

 

The trio walks along the walls of the dark and enormous cave, their weapons drawn and a glowstick to light their way.

 

“Why can’t you be like- I don’t know, glow in the dark?” Irene asks a few minutes into their walk. 

“I ask myself that sometimes.” Yongsun responds, glad to be able to fill the heavy darkness with light conversation.

“That was rhetorical.”

“I know.”

 

The three edged over a turned over mine cart with old beer bottles that probably sat there for decades, collecting dust and cobwebs.

 

“Imagine if I light up whenever it gets dark. I'll be like a walking lighthouse, attracting monsters, like ships to harbor.” Yongsun muses. “I’ll be a walking snack, 10 outta 10”

 

Irene grumbles in the dark, the light from their green glowstick and weapons casting her features with otherworldly colors.

 

“Why do I tolerate your stupid ass again?”

“Because you appreciate my deadly sense of humor?” Yongsun grins, even though she's not sure Irene would see it.

“The only thing that would die here is our friendship if you continue.”

“Also, my creative uses of figures of speech.”

A smack landed on Yongsun shoulder causing her to snicker.

 

“Shh!” Hower suddenly warns. The two demigods quickly ready their weapons, peering through the darkness of the cave for any potential threat.

 

But no matter how prepared they were, everything happened too fast. Something solid was thrown towards Hower, hitting his forehead with a sickening crack and making him topple backwards - dropping the glowstick on the cavern floor. The next second something whammed on Yongsun's gut, throwing her harshly against the wall.

Spots danced across her eyes, her vision swimming. She coughed, finding it hard to inhale - broken rib.

 

Yongsun shook her head and her vision slowly cleared.

 

She stood up and saw Irene being held hostage. Her first reaction was MONSTER! and quickly stab it, but as her eyes focused, the outline of the abductor became steady. Yongsun takes a deep breath, willing herself to calm down.

 

Yongsun quickly sheathes her blade, raises her hands.

 

“We come in peace.”

 

The stranger didn't respond, their glare unrelenting.

Irene sneered, being held hostage under her own weapon. She tries to free herself from her captor, only to be surprised when the stranger countered her attempt by forcing her to twist her arm. She cursed in Ancient Greek.

 

“Put down your weapons.” The stranger says, their voice unexpectedly deep yet feminine. Yongsun raises her eyebrows. She didn't expect the girl to see her weapons easily. Yongsun sighs, atleast her action didn't scream KILL! 

“Well, fellow lost traveler-”

“Put your weapons down, Solar! You’re going to get me killed!” Irene screeched.

“Okay! Okay!” Yongsun slowly traces her fingers to the leather straps on her hips.

“No funny business or your friend here gets her throat slit.” The stranger threatens.

“I swear, if I die I'm going to curse your whole cabin with eternal insect infesta-”

“You’re only making this worse, Joohyun!” Yongsun glares at her friends as she removes the leather straps with a few clicks. She sets it down slowly, the stranger watching her actions.

“Now, that’s all done with,” Yongsun stands up, looking straight at the stranger. "What’s your name?"

 

“Can we all first focus on the important matter here please?” Irene says “I would appreciate it if you’d let me go.”

The stranger tightens their grip on Irene's trapped arm causing the girl to wince.

“Open your bag.” The stranger commands.

“Do you need anything?” Yongsun asks hesitantly, slowly unslinging her bag.

“First aid kit.” The stranger's eyes gleamed. Their stare strong and unyielding.

Yongsun scans her position, her eyes flicking to Irene, to Hower's crumpled figure on the ground. Trying to come up with a grand plan of saving Irene’s head, but alas, the stranger started to inch the blade closer to Irene’s neck.

“Are you hurt?” She cleared her throat.

Irene shoots her a menacing stare, Yongsun nods subtly. Hoping Irene would get her turmoil over possibly homicidal - may be human - captor.

“I can help you.” Yongsun offers. “I’m good at healing any types of injury.”

“Yeah, she’s really good at that! In fact, she could heal your wounds like magic!”

Yongsun tilts her head a little to her friend sending a you’re-really-not-helping stare.

The stranger stares straight through Yongsun, piercing and critical - like they know they have the upper hand. Yongsun doesn't like that.

“I can help you.” Yongsun says sincerely.

The stranger remains silent.

“I’m not injured.” They said.

Yongsun's eyebrows furrowed. “If not, then who?”

“My friend.”

Yongsun steps closer. “I can help you as long as you release my friend.”

 

The stranger narrows their eyes.

 

“How would I know you won't attack me if I let your friend go?”

 

Good question, Yongsun wants to say.

 

“You could take my gear and my weapon. I swear I won’t attack or run away.” Inside her head, Yongsun's already congratulating herself for her stupidity.

The stranger locked eyes with her, contemplating, before nodding and releasing Irene.

“Darn.” Irene curses rubbing her left arm. She looks at Yongsun, somehow, they have this mental conversation of how this is a good idea. The girls start whispering, a thought forming in their heads.

Meanwhile, without Irene covering the stranger's figure, they see a human. Yongsun and Irene heaved a sigh of relief when they see a person, not some kind of weird monster hybrid.

The stranger was indeed a female, with lean yet muscular physique. She had sharp features. Oval faced with a fringe, pointy nose, and dark hair that was tied in a low ponytail, but they couldn't really tell since it was so dark and the only thing that provided light was the fallen glowstick and the celestial bronze weapons. 

The stranger moved fluidly, picking up Yongsun’s sheaths and strapping them onto her hip. She also picked up Yongsun’s gear and slung it onto her back.

“This way.” The stranger gestured forward.

This snapped Yongsun’s trance and she quickly moved to Hower. A bump a size of her fist formed on his forehead, she poked a little on his cranium for signs of a concussion but turns out satyr noggins are quite hard to crack.

“What did you throw at him?”

“A rock.” Came the reply with a shrug.

Yongsun clicks her tongue. “It’ll be a while before he wakes up.”

Irene quickly moves to her side, helping Hower sit up and slinging his arm around her. Yongsun moved to his other side, ignoring the throbbing pain on her side. It'll heal later - before helping them to stand up.

“I don't like that… man.” The stranger says her eyes squinting suspiciously.

“Well this man is our friend.” Irene replies with a matching glare of her own.

“No worries, he doesn't bite!” Yongsun says “Let's get to your friend, shall we?”

 

The stranger gestured for them to move, falling into step with Yongsun - the stolen machete still on her hands.

Five minutes into their walk inside the dark, Yongsun could feel how the atmosphere changed. The girl asked them to turn left, walking faster and moving closer to the side of the walls. 

Yongsun looked up and no longer saw logs that supported the mine, instead she saw how the ceiling was now higher. Her heart jumped when she realized they're now in a cavern.

 

“Here.” The girl said.

 

Yongsun and Irene hefted Hower's limp figure. His Yankees cap lost somewhere, while the lump on his forehead started looking like a third horn.

 

“Byul...?” A voice in the dark croaked. The two girls tensed quickly, ready to heft Hower's body and run away.

“I’m here, Seulgi.” The girl quickly crouched down towards the figure in the dark. “Feeling better?”

“Worse.” The voice answered, voice heavy with anguish.

“I found someone, they said they can help.” The girl moved over, laying Irene's machete on the ground.

 

Seeing the girl signal something, Yongsun and Irene slowly settled Hower to the opposite wall. Then the sound of rocks being struck caught their attention. Seconds later, fire started to illuminate the place.

 

Yongsun's eyes quickly adjusted to the light and she spotted someone - whom she assumed was the girl's friend - sitting on the stone floor, holding a jacket against her shoulder, a once grey shirt soaked with blood.

 

“What happened to her?” Yongsun moved quickly towards Seulgi who was clutching her shoulder.

The stranger they met earlier, who was called Byul, stood infront her, dark eyes stormy.

“Wait.” The girl warned. Protective of her friend.

“I'm going to check her injury. I won't hurt her.”

The girl stared at Yongsun's eye intensely, as if searching for any hidden malice inside of her. Finally, she reluctantly stepped aside.

Yongsun crouched beside the limp girl. The girl was sweating profusely, her brown hair sticking to her face. Seulgi had sharp features, like her friend, she might've been pretty if her face was not contorted in pain.

Yongsun reached gently felt for the pulse on the girl's neck.

 

Weak vital signs. Low blood pressure.

 

“May I?” Yongsun said as she slowly reached for the hand that had been applying pressure to the wound. She gasped when she sees a gaping gunshot wound. Gesturing quickly for Byul that was beside her, she rummaged her pack and brought out her meager first aid supply.

Yongsun fixed her extra pair of t-shirt on the ground and asked the other girl to help her gently lay Seulgi on the floor.

 

As Irene was finishing up with putting a bandage on Hower's forehead, Yongsun started to check the wound closely. She put her finger on the area around the wound and applied some pressure. The bullet went in pretty deeply but no major artery was damaged, but the tissue around the bullet was torn.

But what horrified Yongsun was that the wound was smoking.

“Hey, is everything okay?” Irene sits beside her. She scanned Seulgi's face, her eyebrows furrowing. Yongsun would ask about this later, but right now, there are more pressing matters to attend to.

“No. The bullet is still lodged inside her shoulder, the tissues surrounding the bullet is ruptured and smoking. It missed her collarbone by a few inches. I can't take out the bullet but leaving it inside her for any longer could-” Yongsun swallows. “Internal bleeding could get worse and cause severe tissue infection since this doesn't seem like a normal bullet.”

“How do you remove the bullet?” Byul quickly asks.

“It will be hard since blood vessels around the wound could be damaged and cause further bleeding.”

“But you said this could get worse. We can't just leave her like this.” Irene quips as she gathers a cloth and applies pressure. She asks for the canister in Byul’s hands, uncapping it and guiding the liquid to enter to Seulgi’s lips.

“What's that?” Byul questions warily.

“Nectar. It'll help her heal faster.”

Just as the cannister was almost emptied, Irene gently moves it away.

Yongsun closes her eyes, prays a little to her dad and thinks about her sister Wheein, who probably was in camp enjoying her summer. She was better at these kinds of stuff.

She inhales deeply, steeling her nerved. “Okay.” Yongsun points to the cannister and Irene quickly gives it to her.

Uncapping it, she slowly poured nectar over the wound which sizzled and produced more smoke.

“AGH!” Seulgi grunted and tried to sit up.

“Hold her.” Yongsun instructed while Seulgi cried in pain. “I have to get the bullet.”

“I'll do it.” Byul says determinedly. Yongsun looks at her, weighing the odds of how the situation could get even worse. “I can do it.” The girl insist, Yongsun relents and switched places with her.

“Be careful.” Yongsun warns as grasp Seulgi's hands.

Byul starts and Seulgi lets out a heart wrenching wail.

“Breathe in, breathe out. That's right look at me girl, keep your eyes open alright? That's good. You're doing great.” Without thinking, Yongsun closed her eyes and started to sing. An old Grecian hymn sang by priestesses of Apollo in his honor. It recounted his birth in the floating island of Delos with his twin sister, his claiming of Delphi from his archnemesis Python and the death and deification of his son Asclepius, god of medicine.

Yongsun was fairly aware of the warmth radiating from of her hands, the sound of metal rolling off the rough stone floor and Seulgi's heartbeat stabilizing. When she finished the hymn, Seulgi’s complexion has improved.

 

She heaved a tired sigh and moved aside to sit down comfortably. Sweat trickled down her forehead, her muscles felt sore and really heavy.

Irene approached her slumped figure and offered her a squashed ambrosia square.

“I’m okay,” She nodded towards Byul and Seulgi. “Save it for them later.”

 

Irene gazes worriedly at Yongsun, the girl looked pale as a sheet of paper.

“Eat it, Yong. You need it, I don't want you passing out on me when we're still trapped inside this weird cave.” She hands the ambrosia square to Yongsun. Glaring at the girl until Yongsun finally eats it and started chewing animatedly.

“Happy?”

“Jovial? No. Twitchy? From adrenaline maybe. But am I pleased? A little bit, yes.”

“Woah, when did you start using the thesaurus? I bet you googled those words up before we left”

“I go to school, dumbass”

“I go to school too!”

Irene fakes a gasp of surprise. “You do? I didn't know you were civilized enough to be taught the complex system of society known as education.”

Yongsun looks way beyond offended. Irene bites the inside of her cheeks to prevent herself from laughing. “How dare you, Bae Joohyun!”

At the mention of her name Irene laughed loudly, causing Yongsun to laugh also. They laughed together like crackheads, their noise echoing inside the cavern.

 

At the sound of obnoxious laughter and a sound of a dying dolphin, Hower stirred from his sleep. He groaned, feeling like his head was a balloon about to pop. This caused the two girls to stop laughing and look at him.

"What happened?" Hower asked.

Yongsun and Irene then looked at each other, then towards the two other girls - Byul who was still fussing around Seulgi - and back to Hower. Another round of mental debate going through their silent stare down contest.

Irene was the one who stood up. Walked closer to the small fire and announced:

 

“Let's talk.”


	4. Chapter 4

You know that feeling when you get in trouble and the principal calls you to their office as they prepare to call your parents? That's how it feels having a very serious conversation inside a dark, and very creepy cave. The atmosphere was tense, the cold pressing down on their shoulders, the walls looming over as if the cavern was about to swallow them whole.

The only light, that was a small fire fueled by sticks, some timbre and stray plastic bottles.

She almost misses the sun.

 

Don't ever tell her dad about that.

 

Irene clears her throat.

“First order of business, we want our weapons back.” Irene gives the girl sitting opposite of her, Byul, an extremely disapproving look. The kind that you get when your mom scolds you. Byul holds her hands up before unclipping the leather waist straps of Yongsun’s scimitars, she gives it back together with Irene's machete.

“Next we want apologies for damages inflicted.” Irene's glare doesn't cease.

 

A muscle twitched on Byul's face. Whether she was holding a laugh or a scowl, Yongsun can't decide.

A tense pause, the two girls staring each other down. Yongsun wondered why this situation awfully reminded her of a court hearing. Not that she has ever been in one.

 

“Okay, enough.” Yongsun says, “Irene, it's okay.”

“…I’m sorry.” Byul says softly, looking at the three of them before hanging her head low. The trio stayed silent for a moment. Yongsun, surprised of actually receiving an apology but mostly wondering if Irene is aware of how she affects people.

“S'okay, kid.” Hower says still nursing the third horn that formed on his forehead. “My head feels like it would explode and birth a mini goddess! You got a nice throw!”

 

Leave it to Hower to appreciate being smote on the head

 

“Do you by any chance play baseball?”

Byul gives Hower a weird look, and as if something caught her attention, her eyes widen.

“You… You have hooves?”

“Yes, kid. I lost my shoes when we fell on the cave earlier.” Hower scowls on his hooves. “Those were my favorite shoes too…”

“That's okay. Now, the girl just apologized. All vote of forgiveness say aye! Aye!" Yongsun raises her hands enthusiastically.

"Aye!" Hower raises his hands.

Irene rolls her eyes and huffs dramatically.

“Hyun,” Yongsun bumps her friend's shoulder playfully. Irene muttered I-hate-you before raising her hand.

“Aye.” She said in a very tired tone.

“You are forgiven kid, well done.” Yongsun smiles.

From beside Byul, still lying on the floor resting, came a soft laugh.

 

“Did I just hear, Byul apologized?”

“Is she not the type to say sorry?" Irene asks, but the biting tone was gone. But it still earns her a glare from the other girl.

“No, she’s a sweetheart actually.”

“Shut up.” Byul shushes her friend as pink dusts her cheeks. The reaction causes a round of light laughter from the group.

 

“Well, that's all good and stuff, we still need to talk about you two.” Yongsun says after the laughter has settled.

“Where are you two from?” Irene quickly follows up. Byul looks uncomfortable and doesn't meet their eyes. Irene is not well versed in the arts of breaking the ice.

“Bae,” Yongsun looks at her friend. “You are not good at this, why don't you check our friend Seulgi's bandages? Tell me if we need to replace it, yeah?”

Irene protests a little but after receiving a raised eyebrow from her friend, she stood up and checked the girl that was lying on the floor.

 

Yongsun looks at Byul and smiles. The girl blinks a little.

 

“So,” Yongsun starts "I’m Solar, my grouchy friend right there is Irene,” She points at the Joohyun, who scowls at her. “and this is our Hower. We're from the far east - I mean, New York.”

Byul nods and tries for a little smile.

“Irene and I are both fifteen and Hower is twice that age. How about you?”

"Fourteen."

“Seulgi over there?”

“Thirteen.”

“We're older then.” Yongsun nods. “Is it okay to asks where you guys are from?”

Byul still looked uncomfortable with the topic, Yongsun and Irene had a hunch actually, but doesn't say anything and waits for Byul’s reply.

"We're also from New York..."

 

The location came as a surprise.

Surely, being that close should’ve... Yongsun thinks.

 

The girl clears her throat, unconsciously fixing her fringe. “...I think?”

“You think?” Yongsun softly urges.

“We... Seulgi and I were taken to go somewhere in San Francisco... for something." The girl swallowed nervoursly "We didn't want to go, so we escaped our convoy and headed up hills.” Byul looked towards the fire, eyes clouded with memories. Now that Yongsun could see her properly, she could see how Byul's irises have a hint of blue in them. It glows brighter together with the flames. She abandons the thought and focuses once again on the story.

“We hoped we could get away in the mountains, but they caught up. Seul got shot at our last encounter. We got lost here when I dragged Seulgi inside a tunnel.”

 

Yongsun feels her pulse quicken, sees Irene listening intently in the conversation. Both of them lock eyes, a nod of understanding exchanged between them.

 

"By ‘They’, are you perhaps talking about mercenaries?" Yongsun inquired.

Byul meets her eyes. "Yes."

Yongsun, Irene and Hower looked at each other. A little too long, that Byul started looking at them too.

“We ran into them too, actually.” Irene says after telling them that Seulgi's bandage don't need to be replaced yet.

“Where?”

“Rocky Springs.” Irene answers.

“Where is that?”

“Wyoming.”

“Wyoming?” Byul’s eyes widen.

“Yes, that’s pretty close from here but we managed to escape them. If you want we can help each other get back to New York.”

 

Just as Byul started smiling, Hower stood up abruptly. His nose quivering.

 

“Oh, no.” He mutters. His hooves clopping nervously. “Gotta go, now.”

“What? Why?” The girls quickly stand up.

“Not again"

In the darkness a monstrous roar sounded, causing the cavern to shake.

“What was that?” They all turned warily to the corridor in which the roar sounded.

“Oh, it's not happy.” Hower said as he started to inch away. With the help of Irene, Byul managed to get Seulgi to stand up. Wrapping Seulgi’s undamaged shoulder around her neck.

With the sound of heavy footsteps approaching their way, the group quickly gathered their supplies.

 

“Let's go! Let's go!” Yongsun exclaimed as she finishes clipping her waist straps, just as she was about to swing her pack, her ears popped. Hairs on her neck stood up as moisture in the air got sucked out. Bright orange flames erupted from the dark.

Yongsun was lucky enough to hold her pack up to shield her body from getting burned.

The fire ended just as quickly as it spawned and Yongsun was sure her body got an instant tan but was nonetheless thanking the fact that she had the perks of being a little immune to heat. Her ears were still ringing and her throat really dry.

The foul smell of rotten eggs and burnt bandages made Yongsun look up.

 

Large reptilian eyes blinked at her.

 

With the monster now close to their poor excuse of fire, it illuminated its large scaly body the length of at least four meters. A giant flat head of rough green scales, bowed legs and freakishly long claws. A yellow forked tongue flicks out.

For a second Yongsun thought it was a drakon but seeing the monster's long muscular tail - it looked more like a Komodo dragon.

With a squeal, Yongsun threw her still burning pack towards the monster. Only for it to bounce harmlessly off of its thick hide.

“Solar!” Irene's call reaches her ears and she quickly sprints towards them. Meanwhile, the monsters released another earth shattering roar.

“She said she's hungry!” Hower says as they run for their lives.

“Their always hungry! What's new?”

They bolted through dark corridors of the cavern. The heavy footstep still echoing behind them.

 

“Anyone who has a brilliant idea can volunteer!” Yongsun shouts as she runs faster, the cavern opens to a left-hand tunnel, the group followed it and continued sprinting.

 

A jet of fire spilled from the darkness. The giant Komodo dragon easily catching up to their trail as it wriggles its enormous body.

Yongsun quickly snaps her scimitars, it turns to a bow and she quickly shoots an arrow. The arrow whiz through the air, straight towards left eye of the monster.

The Komodo roars as golden blood trails from its punctured eye.

It spits another jet of fire as Yongsun run once again.

 

“Nice shot!” Seulgi shouts as Yongsun catches up. She sees how the girl clutches her shoulder but pushes the worries away when another jet of fire is sent their way.

“Not nice!” Hower yelps. His backside smoking.

 

Finally, they reached a right-hand corridor. Fortunately, the cavern walls were now low and narrow. Hopefully, the giant Komodo would have a hard time wriggling this time.

As the group passed the turn, Irene yanked Hower as she stopped right at the entrance.

 

“Why did we stop?” Hower clopped nervously. Irene says something to him, but Yongsun doesn’t hear it over the constant monstrous roars.

Irene pulls a seed packet and squats down, throwing a few seeds on the stone floor.

 

“Can you sing?” Irene asks Yongsun but even before she could answer, “Of course you can, come here!”

Irene nods to Hower, who was already positioned, holding his burnt pipe.

“I don-” Yongsun starts.

“Don't tell me you’re shy, we're about to get toasted Yongsun.” Irene says as she crouched towards the seeds and holds out her arms in concentration.

“Go”

Hower started playing ‘Amarillo Sky’ by Jason Aldean with his pipe in twice speed. Yongsun didn’t sing but kept her attention to the corridor. Just as the head of the giant Komodo poked from the corridor, the seeds popped consecutively, green vines exploded and crawled across the stone floor and cavern walls. Lush leaves unfurled as the vines thickened, the flowers went crazy and they finally bore fruits.

The giant lizard's tongue flicked in the air, tasting the smell of delicious demigods.

 

Meanwhile the fruits that the vines produced - watermelons - kept growing until it reached the size of basketballs.

“Um, Irene? How exactly do we use this?” Yongsun says as she stares at the still gaping hole on the wall, where the vines didn't really cover up and giant lizard that is now wriggling towards them fast.

Instead of answering, Irene picks up a large watermelon. "Can you make it open its mouth?"

“I don't think that a great idea but okay.” Yongsun picks a cucumber and throws it at the monster. It bounces off pathetically.

But the lizard opens its mouth revealing a set of sharp sawlike teeth. As it opens its mouth wide, Irene throws the watermelon straight into its mouth. The lizard stumbled, releasing a gagging sound from its throat.

“Oh. This is actually a great idea.”

Seeing this reaction, Yongsun, Irene and Byul quickly picked up the other watermelons with Hower and Seulgi arming themselves with cucumbers and other ginormous fruits that appeared.

When the Komodo recovered from choking on a watermelon, it started to growl angrily. Its red slits gleaming with hatred.

The glare of the monster didn't faze the onslaught of mighty watermelons, neither the demigods who wields these humongous sized fruits of death.

 

The cucumbers and other fruits bounced of easily, but the watermelons did a greater impact as it shattered heavily against the monster's head. When the monster opened its mouth, an orange glow flickering inside its huge throat, the demigods didn't waste a second and threw a volley of deadly watermelon projectiles.

Three enormous watermelons tossed with great accuracy got swallowed. The lizard expanded its throat at the very last second. It seemed to grin when it looked at them again. Yongsun threw another watermelon just to wipe its smug look.

“Hey lizard! Your breath stinks!” Surprisingly, it was Irene who said that.

As the group continued their deadly fruit onslaught, the Komodo easily swallowed the watermelons, even the cucumbers.

“I bet your mom doesn't even like you! I bet she has nightmares looking at your face!” Irene shouts as she tosses another watermelon.

“That was the meanest thing I have ever heard you say.” Yongsun mutters.

“Shut up!”

“Sorry!” Yongsun flinches.

The monster growls.

“She said she doesn't like you talking about her mother like that.” Hower says beside them, still throwing cucumbers.

“Yeah? Well, guess what? Your mom is embarrassed by your existence, Hades, I bet even your grandma-lizard loathes you!”

“Woah!”

At this the monster roars, this a roar so powerful it rendered them incapable of throwing the fruits. The lizard started to charge.

 

“Run!”

 

The group ran once again, forty yards ahead the cave diverge into to paths. Behind them the walls shook as the lizard ram its body into the cave.

“Which way do we go?”

“Split up!” Irene answers as she rummages her pack mid-sprint.

“What? No!” Yongsun refuses. “We're not splitting up!”

 

Right as they almost reach the diverging paths. Irene stops once again and yanks Hower up.

 

“We'll hold the lizard off, you go ahead.”

Yongsun shakes her head violently. "I am not leaving you two alone. No."

"Yeah, I don't..." Hower agrees but Irene gives her a look.

“Yongsun.” Irene says seriously, her eyes burned with a determined fire. “Those two need you more, you're a better fighter than us, you can protect them.”

“But I want to protect you two!”

Irene shakes her head. She looks so serious as she takes Yongsun's palm and gives her a seed. "It will bloom if I'm close. We'll catch up with you guys, but we have to split up."

“Joohyun...”

“Trust me, Yong.”

 

A crack happened behind them as the lizard managed to squeeze its body through the narrow corridor. The lizard continues to opens its mouth wide and started disgorging the previously swallowed watermelons out.

“Go! We don't have time!” Irene pushes Yongsun and quickly turns away, dragging Hower a few steps back. Like earlier, Irene spreads out multiple seeds, only this time, she added more.

With a final look at Irene's back. Yongsun pockets the seed and drags the other two away.

 

 

Regret floods Yongsun's system as she led the two further down the right-hand corridor. Monstrous roars shake the cave as they ran, it took all of her will power not to run back. It’s like a big red warning sign kept flashing inside her head, telling her to go back.

 

I shouldn't left them, Yongsun thought.

 

As Yongsun continues to wallow on her self-deprecation, the action stopped as she hears a voice call her name.

“-Wait for us!” Byul calls as she helps Seulgi, who was leaning against the wall for support.

Yongsun now notices her surroundings. The once rough-hewn stone walls are now replaced by smooth concrete, the large cavern turned to a circular chamber of a sewer system. Her shoes are now wet, a steady current of murky water leading to the end of the corridor.

Seulgi was clutching her shoulder, no wonder in pain as she barely even recovered from her wound when they got attacked.

“You okay?” Yongsun makes her way back towards the girls. She briefly checks Seulgi's wound and sees it bleeding once more.

“Yeah,” Seulgi says as she pushes herself away from the wall. Byul was quick to her side.

“Your wound is getting worse, we have to treat it.” But just as Yongsun says that she remembers that she actually threw her fiery backpack at the monster.

She looks around and sees light at the end of their corridor. She points to it.

“Maybe that’s an exit, think you could make it?”

Seulgi nods determinedly and they start to walk with Yongsun in front.

 

As they emerged out of the sewer will they only realize that the light that they thought was their exit, was actually a helicopter’s flood light shining through. It was only then, did they realized they walked straight into a trap.


	5. Chapter 5

In life many things will surprise you, when you're a demigod those surprises are often hungry monsters or gods who just can't be bothered and needs you to run an errand for them.

So why was still Yongsun surprised when they walked in on an ambush? Maybe because of red laser points aimed at her chest, or the blinding glare of the floodlights. Maybe both.

 

Yongsun wonders briefly if they're cops that found the stolen Ford pickup truck that went cross country, but that was too good to be true.

 

The exit of the sewer led to a part of the river that was shallow. It reached just above her ankle but the chill the water brought was enough unnerve her. The sky was dark, stars twinkled lifelessly, as if the stars are getting tired of watching Yongsun's miserable life and just wants to stop and blink out of existence. Yongsun would shout her agreement if only the glare of the floodlight stopped shining on her face.

 

"Surrender quietly!" Someone, riding the helicopter with a megaphone on his hand, demanded. The loud sound of the rotor blades tearing through the air. Yongsun could faintly see his silhouette standing at the edge of the door.

 

Monstrous growls ensued. Yongsun looked to her sides and saw monsters of different kinds on either side of the bank, some even stood on the shallow waters, pacing on the bank like predators waiting for their prey. Again, mercenaries on tactical vests and firearms are within the monster's ranks, aiming their guns towards the girls.

 

Yongsun tightens her grip on her scimitars. The action caused the monsters to growl louder.

 

"Put down your weapons, half-blood!" The man atop the helicopter warned, half of the words was carried away with the beating of the helicopter blades.

 

"Why don't you come down here and make me do it!" Yongsun challenges (something she'll regret later). She brandishes her scimmitars, grits her teeth as a way to summon her courage. She sees the monsters starting to advance, basically cutting off their route towards land to the only open area in front - further down the river - which looked deeper than where they're currently in.

 

"What do we do?" Inching closer was Seulgi, Byul on the other hand was glaring at the helicopter.

 

Yongsun answer with great resolve. "We fight."

 

With agile movements, she snapped her scimitars together, the familiar whir of the string and quickly snipping the floodlight on helicopter. The lights crack and the light flickers off, the helicopter veered sideways.

Yongsun dragged Seulgi to a run towards the river. Floundering across the water, they fought off the currennt that now rose above their knees.

 

“Do not shoot! I repeat, do not shoot! We can't have another casualty!” Someone among the monster ranks, a mercenary commanded. But this command only applied to the hired mercenaries and not the monsters.

Cyclopes and Laistrygonians Giants lumbered towards them, screeching Harpies and wild Gryphons circled the air above, their squawks sounding more and more like mocking laughter as they struggled againt the flow of the river. Even from the banks, monsters whooped and jeered like crazed maniacs looking for slaughter. Yongsun's heart pounded erratically inside her chest, the feeling of something lurking on the river nagged her senses. So she stopped.

Yongsun took aim and released volleys of arrows upon the attackers. Shooting the remaining of her explosive arrows towards 12-foot Cyclopes. Soon her quiver felt lighter and her muscles heavier.

 

Byul was agile enough to evade the attacks. The girl had kicked a Cyclops on the groin and used his own club to bash him into golden powder. Now wielding the club, she swung the weapon into a Laistrygonian’s knee, making him kneel as she delivers the final blow. Seulgi, even with a wounded shoulder,  did her best - kicked a monster solidly in the face and took down a swooping Harpy. Yongsun, covered their backs. Shooting down monster or slicing them up when they get too close.

 

Then something from above dropped down the river, Yongsun for a moment thought it was a gryphon that swooped for a kill but alas, just a few meters away a masculine figure stood up. The fight quickly ceased as he walked up towards them, the monsters, even the wild centaurs from the banks, halt their attacks as if their waiting for his command.

 

With the only light illuminating them is that natural glow of the moon, Yongsun could make out the man's hawkish face and heterochromatic eyes. One was blue and one was brown.

 

He adjusted his fine tuxedo and set his bi-color eyes towards the three girls.

 

Chills danced down Yongsun’s spine, it didn't matter that the water was now up to her waist, it had nothing to do with her jitters.

 

“Stand down half-bloods, there is no use on fighting us.” He says, his voice a strangely high for a man with a slightly weird accent. “All of you shall come with me. Now. While I still ask nicely.”

 

“Who are you?”

 

The man grins. “You don’t need to know who I am,” He then turns to Byul and Seulgi, who were looking at him with pure hatred. “I’m here for them.”

 

“Stay away.” Byul growled, hefting the large club while moving infront of Seulgi protectively.

 

The manticore merely smiled, his teeth gleamed with sharpness. “Looks like her wounds got treated.” He looked over at Seulgi. “I was just going to say, how I already disembowelled the stupid mortal that dared pull the trigger on you without my command but” He hummed as if he was thinking, his nostrils flared. “I guess that won’t be necessary.”

 

He raised his hand and out of nowhere a something whizzed in the air. Yongsun saw the projectile hit Seulgi’s neck. A metallic cylinder with a red plume as a tail. The next shot whizzed and this time it hit Byul by the arm.

 

“What?” Seulgi managed to utter before both girls’ eyes rolled back and collapsed.

 

“No!” Yongsun cried. Engaging at the man with her scimitars and aiming for his neck. But just before her blade went close, a black scaly tail intercepted her blow. Shocked, Yongsun looked at the spiked scorpion-like tail in front of her.

 

A second later, another projectile whizzed by and her vision became black.

 

 

And this is how Yongsun found herself waking up to a small, musty old room.

The ceiling was patched, the paint peeling off in strips, there’s cobwebs everywhere and somehow it smells like urine. She tried to wriggle her body and can fairly feel her wrist being bound by a rope.

 

Groaning, Yongsun slowly sat up. The pounding on her head did not cease.

 

She looked around and saw Byul only a few feet away from her, holding her knees to her chest.

 

“Hey…” She croaked. Byul looked at her blankly, all hope and determination she’d seen in those eyes the night before, gone. She looked around again, scanning the small room and saw no Seulgi anywhere.

 

“Where’s Seulgi?” She asked.

 

The girl’s eyes turned glassy, she quickly ducked her head.

 

“They… they took her.” Her voice broke.

 

Yngsun’s heart ached at the sound of Byul’s weak voice. The thought of Seulgi being taken by those monsters…

 

Yongsun couldn’t even finish the thought, refuses to. On instinct, she reached for her sheath, but as expected their captor took her weapon away. Normally, when she loses her scimitar it would magically return back to its sheath in a few minutes, now that her sheath has been taken away, she doubts her weapons will be coming back to her any time soon.

Instead, Yongsun’s hand creeped on her jeans. There she felt the seed that Irene gave her. Bringing it out, Yongsun caressed it gently on her palms.

What happened to her friends? Are they okay? Did they make it out alive? Yongsun could only hope that her friends made it out. Now that they know that the abandoned coal mine is connected to the Labyrinth, it could lead them somewhere far away.

 

Yongsun shook her head, they would never leave us. They would never leave me.

 

But the thought of Joohyun and Hower not making it through is horrifying.

 

Yongsun pockets the seed and pushes herself to stand up.

 

They’re not going to die.

 

“Byul, get up.” She says to the girl, adjusting the rope that was cutting her skin. “We need to escape.”

 

She moves around the room, scanning the area. She sees a window at the corner and quickly moves towards it. Due to her small stature, Yogsun couldn’t properly see what's outside. Frustrated, she gathered a discarded crate and used her bound hands to push it to the window. The crate made a loud screeching noise against the hard floor.

 

Hauling herself up, she finally saw what was outside. The familiar runaway was in sight, the rusted hangars and the small establishment in the airport.

 

Looks like their back in Rocky Springs.

 

“...What for?” Yongsun caught the whispered words of Byul.

 

“What do you mean what for? We need to find Seulgi, Irene and Hower! We have to save them!”

 

Yongsun didn’t mean to shout. Her friends are out there, she left them once, she won’t leave them again. The surge of emotion was fueling her up, not in a good way, she needs to get out or else she’ll lose it.

 

What she didn’t expect Byul to blow up also.

 

“Find where?! We don’t even know where we are!” Byul screamed angrily.

 

Yongsun, taken aback, shouts in return. “I know where we are!”

 

“Where?! Do you really even know where we are?”

 

“What do you even mean?”

 

“I trusted you! And yet, you knew that man!” Byul cried one again. “That man- he said…”

 

Yongsun huffed. “Look, I don’t know what he said, but I’m going to break this window.” She jumped down and looked around.

 

“Good luck with that.” Byul spat.

 

Something snapped inside Yongsun. "Do you not understand!? We have to get out of here!"

 

Her breathing was now uneven and frantic. The ties around her wrist cut her skin and it’s unbearable. She looked for something to use to pry the window off but only cardboard boxes fill the musty room that they are currently stuck in, a few disregarded machine parts and wooden planks litter the floor.

 

“No! Not unless you explain, right now!” Byul demands, her face contorted in anger. The girl finally stands up.

 

Yongsun faintly hears something outside. Heavy footsteps.

 

“Will you please lower your voice?” Yongsun climbs the crate, in search for anything sharp or heavy enough to become a weapon. Enduring the pain that pricks through her chaffed wrist.

 

Yongsun breathes to calm herself. “Fine, what do you want?”

 

“Tell me everything.” Byul presses, stepping towards her. “You knew that man. How? He-...you-”

 

“What?” Yongsun crawls to peek through a dusty window. Pounds it desperately.

 

“He called me... He called me something.”

 

Yongsun turns back, sees the raven-haired girl look down, fists clenched against her side.

 

“A half-blood.” Byul forces out.

 

“Yes.”

 

The girl quickly looks up. Her eyebrows furrowing.

 

“What does it mean? I-I don't... understand.”

 

Yongsun jumps down and looks at the girl straight in the eyes.

 

“What exactly do you want me to say Moonbyul?” She says slowly. Knowing the shock of discovering you are not who you thought you were. Yongsun knows, she understands.

 

“Explain to me. Please.”

 

Yongsun sighs. They hoped they’ll successfully bring Byul and Seulgi to camp before explaining anything to them. But with these circumstances, it would be easier to just let her know.

 

"You are exactly what he says. A half-blood. Just like me."

 

Byulyi closes her eyes and inhales.

 

“So, it is...” Her voice quivered.

 

Something inside Yongsun screamed that something was wrong but she pushes it aside.

 

“Yes, it is.” Yongsun nods solemnly. All demigods have been there.

 

“So, why? Why did you stay? You could’ve just left us, in the river.”

 

“You’re our quest." She points at the girl. “You and Seulgi.”

 

“What?”

 

“Byul.” Yongsun says gently, holding Byul's trembling shoulders. Looking straight into those glassy dark blue orbs. “You have to trust me on this, okay? We first have to get out of here.”

 

“But Solar... Nothing's making sense.”

 

“Trust me. From now on nothing will ever make sense.”

 

Byul looks at her, confused and lost. For a moment she remembers her 9-year old self, struggling to fend for her life. Seeing this makes Yongsun take a deep, shaky breath. Finally deciding to let the truth out.

 

"Byul, listen, you are not normal. You're not like everybody else. Don’t you get it? You’re here because those men are after you, and yes - they're also not normal. You're not supposed to be here, Byul. You’re supposed to be somewhere safe, a sanctuary for us." Yongsun pauses. "And that's why I'm here, to bring you home."

 

“...I still don't get it.” Byulyi then asks softly, unsure. “What am I?”

 

“You're a demigod Moonbyul, half-man, half-god.”

 

 

By the time the door of their small room opened, Yongsun had made no progress with the window and only managed to scratch its surface. Her wrist started to bleed minutes ago but endured the pain.

The door opened and revealed a seven feet earthen man with six arms on each side. When he entered the door, he had to do it sideways because of his massive muscular arms. Two other earthborn stood outside the door.

Yongsun glared at the Gegeines. Racking her brain for whatever she learned in those Greek mythology classes with the Athena cabin.

Sadly, no information surfaced and the Earthborn has already advanced on Byul. The girl kicked the Earthborn’s hand away, screaming and demanding where Seulgi is, but another arm caught her leg and hauled her closer until three arms wrapped around her torso. Byul flailed around but the grip of the Earthborn was firm.

The Earthborn then advanced towards her. Yongsun did what she figured was a better plan and launched herself to tackle the monster.

It was not a good idea.

Disoriented from launching herself into solid rock, the Earthborn easily manhandled her.

 

The Earthborn carried them outside, his grip was firm like a boa constictor slowly squeezing the life out of her. Both girls flailed around and tried to kick the two other Gegeines. After their relentless flailing, the Earthborn growled and handed Yongsun to the other Earthborn like she was a mere rag doll to be tossed around.

 

Finally, they arrived outside. The sky was a happy deep blue that Yongsun wanted to curse at Zeus because he’s being an insensitive prick when they’re basically being manhandled to their death.

The Gegeines led towards the hangar. It was approximately 60 meters from where they are, a few helicopters are parked around and Yongsun has to think fast.

Resuming her flailing, Yongsun was only stopped when Byul called or her name.

 

“Solar!”

 

Yongsun turned her head, trying to see Byul as their torso was being held horizontally by the Gegeines.

 

“Look!” She pointed with her pursed mouth.

 

“Where?” Yongsun asked as she tried to look at whatever Byul was pointing too.

 

Byul further pursed her mouth, if they weren’t marching to their possible death, Yongsun would’ve found it funny.

 

“Where??”

 

Byul rolled her eyes.

 

“Your pocket, idiot.”

 

And if she’s not held captive by earthen men, Yongsun would’ve smacked her head for calling her stupid. Instead, Yongsun adjusted her body, inclining her head to look past the Earthborn’s big muscular arm.

 

True to what Byul said, something was in her pocket. A bright yellow daisy flower hanging on her jean pocket. Her spirits soared with happiness and Yongsun started to look around frantically.

 

“Stop moving.” The gruff voice of the Earthborn holding her said. But it didn’t matter. Irene and Hower was alive! That was all that mattered.

 

But that may be talking too early as they finally neared hangar. Yongsun could already see monsters milling around like what they’ve seen before. Just then one Cynocephali walked across the hangar, holding her weapons. Yongsun instantly zeroed in on the monster.

 

A roar then sounded from the distance. A very familiar roar and set of heavy foot step.

 

The Gegeines seemed to notice it too as they waddled to turn around.

 

There it was, the giant Komodo Dragon they met in the underground coal mine, waddling powerfully in the asphalt. What’s more surprising is the figure of Irene and Hower atop the said beast.

 

The Komodo charged and in one clean chomp, pulverized the Earthborn that was handling Yongsun. To say that she screeched was an understatement. The Komodo then chomped the Earthborn that handled Byul and proceeded to torch the third one into ash.

 

“How? What?” Yongsun spits out some golden powder.

 

“Hey,” Irene greeted with a grin. Hower waved at her enthusiastically at the back.

 

“How? This? Her?” Yongsun gestured to the Komodo who looked at her with its right eye.

 

“Yeah, later, you’ll apologize to her.” Irene and Hower slid down the Komodo, pulling her machete and cutting the ropes on their wrists. “First, we have to take care of this”

 

They turned around and saw a horde of monster coming their way. Yongsun quickly scanned the monsters, finding that one pesky dog-man that stole her weapon.

 

The Komodo roared defiantly, their resolve strengthening as the front-line of the monsters scramlbed in fear. The lizard blew a jet of fire and together they charged.

 

Yongsun quickly found the Cynocephali that took her weapon. Fueled by adrenaline, she leaped and landed a powerful kick into its dog-like face. From her peripheral she could see the surge of the horde focused more on their allied fire-breathing lizard.

She delivered a solid punch on the Cynocephali’s head to knock it out. She then quickly took her weapon and wore the straps.

“Oh, yes.” She grinned before running into battle. Hacking, slashing and stabbing, Yongsun was a whirlwind of destruction. Quick on her feet, she easily dodged and sidestepped against her attackers. Parrying with her blade and delivering swift slashes to disembowel a group of Cyclopes that stood in her way. She kicked an earthborn, knocked the flat of her blade on a Cynocephali and used the other arm to defend herself.

Fighting in the open was her forte, and true as it is as the horde of monters quickly dissipated. The area around Yongsun reduced to mountains of golden powder.

She could see Byul, once again armed with a club she probably stole from a cyclops, bashing a head of an Empousai.

 

Yongsun turned around and faced the two remaining Blemmyae, wielding pipes as weapons.

 

“Surrender now young lady.” One said politely.

 

“Yes, surrender now and we can all have a happy work day, miss.” The other one added.

 

“Why, thank you good sirs.” She curtsied

 

“You are welcome.”

 

the other blemyae nodded. “Yes, you’re very much welcome, miss.”

 

“How very courteous of you,” Yongsun gave them a very sweet smile. “But I’ve decided you two gentlemen are going to die.”

 

She swiped her scimitars in a wide arc, cutting their pipes in half.

 

But as Yongsun was about to stab them, one more monster appeared. Walking towards them from the hangar.

 

The man’s heterochromatic eyes shone with murder as he approached them. Yongsun was about to shout when Byul beat her to it.

 

“Where is Seulgi!?”

 

“Come back with me and you’ll find out.” The man said.

 

“No!”

 

Yongsun quickly slashed the remaining Blemmyae before turning to the man.

 

“Give Seulgi back!” Yongsun shouts. Picking the pipe of the Blemmyae, she threw it towards the monster, landing on his face with a satisfying thunk.

 

The man snarls at her. “You shouldn’t have meddled half-bloods! You have no idea what powers you’re pissing off.” His form started to flicker, his torso started to grow larger and larger. His face remained human but his body was that of a lion. A scorpion-like tail hovered above its head, posed for attack.

 

Horror flooded the demigods’ body. Even their fire-breathing lizard seemed scared.

 

“It can’t be…” Hower was the first one to utter a word.

 

Yongsun, still reeling from shock, didn’t register how Byul quickly raised the giant’s club and threw it straight at the man’s face. The monster roared, golden blood dribbling from his forehead.

 

Shaking her head, Yongsun strengthened her resolve and charged.

 

She aimed for his neck, but a massive paw easily swiped her away mid-sprint. Yongsun only had time to raise her blade in defense when she was thrown away with such force, it knocked the air out of her lungs. She rolled across the asphalt numerous times before stopping.

With her ears ringing and blurry eyesight, she could faintly make out how her friends also charged at the monster. Yongsun could feel blood trickling down the side of her forehead, but strangely, she can’t feel anything. She laid there for a few moments, dazed.

 

With much effort, she pushed herself up. Staggering with her blade still in hand.

 

Maybe Yongsun almost fell because when her vision blacked out for a second Byul was embracing her. Or maybe not as she could feel the girl slump against her, arms falling to her side.

 

She faintly hears Irene's scream before she finally blacks out.


	6. Chapter 6

There's some spoiler here from Trials of Apollo. Have fun!

Yongsun woke up to the sound of hissing of snakes.

 

Slowly opening her eyes, she adjusted to the blinding white light that shone on her face. Trying to sit up, she suddenly felt a throbbing pain from her left shoulder. Gingerly laying her fingers on her side, she felt bandages wrapped across her shoulder and armpit. Yongsun inspected her injury, the wound was shallow but deep enough that when it heal it'll leave a mark.

 

White flashes of memories and headache quickly seized her brain. 

Squeezing her eyes shut, her head pounded, feeling the bandage that was wrapped on her head.

 

She rolled to her right, using her hand to push herself up. When she finally settled in a sitting position she was immediately greeted by a built-in monitor that displayed her vitals. A levitating bariatric sling and a fancy remote that controlled the bed adjustment. Yongsun blinked once, then twice, trying to adjust from the visual overload that is bashing information into her sluggish brain.

Yonggsun moved her head slowly, feeling the strain on her neck. At the side were racks of dried healing herbs, an Escher painting next to the wall that had a portable MRI machine. When Yongsun stood up to further inspect the other medical equipments in the room, did she see the artificial glassed-in habitat of poisonous snakes.

 

The snakes hissed and Yongsun decided she wouldn’t bother.

 

Finally, she noticed the bed next to hers.

 

Byul slept peacefully on the bed, dark hair sprawled in contrast of the white pillow.

She saw the bandages that was also wrapped on her shoulder, the memory of how Byul embraced her in the midst of battle. The Manticore must’ve shot a spike aiming for her, but Byul came in the way and took the projectile.

Yongsun was about to make her way to the girl’s side when a door opened.

 

An old woman walked in, grey hair and wrinkles upon her skin. She looked a little tired but her eyes shone bright, her aura exuding of calm confidence. For a long moment Yongsun just stared at the woman. She was beautiful despite her old age.

Yongsun thought that the woman might be a goddess, but the woman smiled warmly.

 

“You’re awake.” The woman nodded as she slowly made her way inside. “It’s good to see you’re up early. No more pain on your shoulder?”

 

Yongsun shook her head, still staring at the woman.

 

“Um… Where am I?”

 

“Waystation, dear” The woman walked towards Byul and examined her bandages.

 

“Oh,” Yongsun said. “Indiana?”

 

“Yes. I’m Emmie by the way, current caretaker of Waystation.” Emmie smiled. “You’ll get to Jo and your friends upstairs, I’m sure they’ll be pleased to see you. I’ll be there in a minute, I just have to check on your friend here first.”

 

“I-I see…” Yongsun cleared her throat, “I’ll get going then. Thank you, Emmie.”

 

Emmie nodded as Yongsun made her way to the door. With a final glance at Byul, she pushed it open.

 

Yongsun walked to a brick hallway, the sudden dimness in contrast to the bright lighting inside the infirmary made Yongsun blink her eyes multiple times to adjust. The hallway was basked in yellowish light from the small candles that lined the walls in bronze scones. Tracing her fingertips along the rough brick work, Yongsun recalled all the stories she heard about the Waystation.

For all her quests, this was the first time she has ever step foot inside the Waystation. Once, she had come close, back on a summer when she was on pursuit of the Aethiopian Drakon on Mississippi. Her comrades agreed on stopping on Waystation before continuing their quest but they ended up getting tangled with some Gorgons in Charleston.

She heard enough to know that Waystation provides shelter for demigods on the mid-west. It works like the Labyrinth (with less killing intent atleast.) A seemingly sentient building that can house almost anything. that it was once exclusively a safehouse for the Hunters of Artemis’s and that it was constructed by a talented demigod architect.

 

As she continued down the hall, a door opened to her left. Sunlight filtered through the hall, the room seemingly leading outdoors.

 

Yongsun walked slowly towards the door.

 

The open sky greeted Yongun, the sun shining ever so brightly. A cluster of trees circled the area, a large pond on the edge and a small sprinkler. In the middle of it all was the giant Komodo dragon, still and close-eyed, basking in the glory of the sunlight.

Hesitantly, Yongsun stepped towards the Komodo.

 

“Um…” She started. Licking her dry lips.

 

The lizards right eye opened, bright red slits blinked at her. The lizard shifted from its relaxed position and looked at her.

 

“I… Um, I just…” Yongsun fidgeted uncomfortably. She saw the left eye of the Komodo – which she in fact shot an arrow through – was now bandaged. “I’m sorry, for, um… your eye…” It was so awkward, Yongsun almost thinks it'll be easier to get toast by the giant lizard than engaging the reptile into a conversation.

 

The Komodo blinked. 

 

“And you helped us, I-I want to thank you for that.”

 

The Komodo blinked once again and Yongsun started thinking of how stupid she must’ve looked like, apologizing to a big lizard who probably doesn’t understand her, not to mentioned it did tried to chomp her to death approximately only 24 hours ago.

 

But as if the Komodo understood, it growled and bobbed its big flat head before turning away.

 

Yongsun smiled brightly, bounced a little on her heels and turned back to the door. Now, charged with a little positivity, Yongsun bounded up a flight of stairs that led to another room.

 

Round, high ceiling with wood carvings and glowing stained-glass panels decorated the rom, casting green and gold shimmer of geometric designs across the painted cement floor. A couple of ladders stretched up t the ornate molding of the ceiling, where ledges are stuffed with haystacks that nests – what Yongsun presume – several large chickens.

Raised walkways with wrought iron railings and elegant Victorian lampposts lined the walls, behind those posts were doorways that possibly led to other rooms. At the center of the room stood a massive rough-hewn redwood, big enough to house a whole cabin of campers, just like in the dining pavilion back at camp. At the far end, under a rose window, were workshop machineries.

Her examination of the huge cathedral-like room ended when Hower called for her.

 

“Solar!”

 

In one corner of the main room gleamed a grand chef’s kitchen, the kind you’d see on TV, with sofas clustered around.

Irene and Hower sat at a table with two other person Yongsun recognize. The first one was another old lady, her grey hair in a buzz-cut. She had broad shoulders and muscular arms.

Hower waved her to sit as Yongsun walked over. The old lady wore a blue work shirt, streaked with machine oil. No doubt she’s the one who worked with all those machineries. The other person sitting was a guy in his mid-thirties or forties, with dark curly hair, his face marred with a lot of scars.

 

Yongsun walked towards them and sat beside Hower, who immediately offered her a salad. The woman smiled at her and Yongsun promptly smiled back.

 

“Care to catch me up on what happened?”

 

Irene shifted on her seat and put down her fork. Yongsun waited patiently for her to speak but she remained silent. Irene started fiddling with her camp beads, 4 beads to be exact – two beads less than Yongsun.

 

“Well, you guys arrived late into the night! Hower here started playing some tunes dead in the night to wake us up and let me tell you, it is anything but pleasant.” The woman joked and stretched her hands for a shake. She had a strong grip, Yongsun was relieved she didn't use her bandaged arm for a shake, it might come right off she did.“I’m Jo, caretaker of the Waystation together with Emmie. I assume you’ve met her on your way here?”

 

“Yes... I’m Solar.” Yongsun nodded, she was about to ask how they got here so fast when a loud caw echoed inside the room.

She looked up and saw magnificent pairs of giant wings. What she thought where chickens were actually griffins, their shiny golden fur glimmered as their lion-like body swooped in the air. More caws echoed back from the hay roosts.

 

“Oh, there they go.” Jo whispered as a gryphon glided down the center of the room. The griffin ruffled its feathers, its head snapping towards them and tilting in curiosity.

 

“I’ll handle them.” The man beside Jo stood up and headed to griffin, stroking its head as it releases a pleased caw.

 

“That’s Lit.”

 

“Yeah, lit.” Yongsun agreed.

 

Hower intercepts. “What?”

 

“Lit? That’s his name.”

 

“That’s his name? Lit? That’s so cool,” Hower laughs loudly causing Yongsun to snicker. Jo looks at them weirdly but she smiles.

 

“Anyway, he hangs arounds.”

 

“Is he a demigod?”

 

Jo takes a moment to answer, her eyes darkening a little. She brings a cup to her mouth and sips calmly, she brings the cup down before speaking. “Yes. But, best to asks him that yourself.” She gives Irene a cursory glance.

 

Hower nodded slowly.

 

“You guys arrive when Waystation’s currently understaffed, many of our folks went back to school already. Some will visit but I’m afraid we can’t just leave and escort you back to camp but we will still help,” Jo gestured to the griffins circling the ceiling. “We’ll asks two griffins escort you back to New York.”

 

“Oh… I see,” Yongsun shifted on her seat. The griffins looked tame enough but she’s still anxious flying out in the open. Hower seemed to share her nervousness as he bleated softly. Meanwhile, Irene was still silent, busying herself with picking her salad.

 

“Okay. But, how did we get here so fast?” Yongsun furrowed her eyebrows, “Wyoming to Indiana in just a night?”

 

“The Labyrinth.” Irene finally answered and looked at Yongsun intensely. Yongsun raised her eyebrow, urging her friend to explain but Irene merely shakes her head.

 

Hower then took it upon himself to explain and retold what happened, starting from Byul taking a spike for her (the mere mention of it made Yongsun’s wound sting) to how their fire-breathing lizard navigated through the labyrinth and delivered them in Waystation’s doorstep.

 

“We panicked the whole way that I forgot I was scared of underground! You two lost a lot of blood! Irene was crying the-”

 

“Was not!” Irene cried in protested.

 

“You were!” Hower argued and the two started bickering that Yongsun was afraid Irene will throw her salad at Hower. She smiled widely, seeing her friends being lively and back to normal. Shortly after, Yongsun joined the fun and teased Irene to no end. But their banter quickly died down at the sound of footsteps.

 

From the entrance came Byul and Emmie. Byul’s eyes were rimmed with red, visible tear stains on her cheeks. As they approached Yongsun locked eyes with Byul, her chest suddenly feeling heavy with dread.

 

“Where’s Seulgi?” Instead of a question, Byul said the words with venom and accusation.

 

Yongsun bit her lip and stood up. “Byul, wait…”

 

“No. You told me we’ll find her, save her.” Byul shook her head and clenched her teeth, her eyes gleaming with anger.

 

“You were injured, we needed to escape. I should’ve confronted the manticore and looked for Seulgi.” Irene stepped forward, her hands spread in a placating manner. “We couldn’t do anything…”

 

“You should’ve just left me there with Seulgi.” Byul snapped.

 

“Byul, don’t say that.” Emmie tried to console the girl but Byul shrugged her away and started storming off.

 

“Byul! Wait!” Yongsun called after as she immediately ran off to find the girl. Irene called for her to not go but Yongsun didn’t care. She knew, at some point that she was responsible for what happened, so she fastened her step down the familiar dark halls until a door opened outside.

 

Once again, the open sky greeted her. Yongsun scanned her surroundings and saw overturned pots, kicked sacks of fertilizer and a broken table. She was in a rooftop garden, fruits and vegetables growing in patches of dirt. There’s a nest at the edge of the roof but no griffin occupied it.

 

From the side, she heard the sound of metal clanging and a huff of frustration. Yongsun moved toward the sound and saw Byul’s mess of crippled metal buckets, a broken rake, a sack with a hole punched through it and an overturned wheeler.

 

“Byul…”

 

“Leave me alone.” The girl said as she slumped at the ledge of the building. Yongsun feared the girl might just jump and run in search for her friend.

 

Stubborn as she is, Yongsun approached the girl and slowly sat next to her.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Byul scoffed. “For lying or for failing to save Seulgi?”

 

“For both,” Yongsun answered honestly. “Look-”

 

“No,” Byul held her hand up to stop her. “I don’t want to hear excuses.”

 

Something in Yongsun snapped, rage quickly bubbling up in her stomach. “What do you mean excuses? We couldn’t help what happened! It was a quest!”

 

“Is that what Seulgi and I are? We’re just your quest?!” Byul raises her voice, her hands flailing wildly. “So, if the quest said you must leave her to-  to die you will? This wouldn’t even happen if you just stayed away from us!”

 

By now the two are standing, shouting at each other’s face.

 

“Stay away? Seulgi would’ve died easily if we didn’t find you! You think that if by somehow, you thought of removing the bullet you think she’d survive? No! because the bullet was probably coated with celestial bronze and even if we didn’t find you the Manticore will!”

 

Byul stepped closer their face only inches apart. “See? You didn’t tell me this before. What more are you not telling me?” She hissed, “Me, being a- a half-blood! And those-” Her voice broke, looking so confused and lost, so vulnerable. She took a deep breath.

“Those monsters... I’ve been lied to too many times.” Byul breathed. “Just, why?”

Yongsun sighed, running a hand through her blond locks in frustration. “It was to protect both of you. We need to take you back to camp first before telling you too much.”

 

“Protect me?” Byul asked as she urged Yongsun to look at her, her dark blue eyes a little glassy.

 

Yongsun sighed once again, she sat at the ledge and patted beside her. When Byul refused to sit, Yongsun reached for her hand and tugged softly until the girl finally sat.

 

As Byul settled beside her, Yongsun brought out her necklace that held six camp beads.

“Okay,” Yongsun sighed. “You see this? These are my camp beads, every year at the end of every summer, head councilors vote for the biggest event that happened to be painted on the bead.”

 

“I don’t see how this connects with protecting me or saving my friend.”

 

Yongsun gave the girl a reprimanding stare before continuing. She held her first bead, a yellow bead with a white sun. “Camp Half-Blood provides sanctuary for us, as you may now know, and trains demigods to be heroes. Quests are issued and we set out to do them. This was the first bead I received when I was nine, it’s a white sun because that year a half sibling of mine tried to recreate the sun chariot and almost burned the whole forest down.”

“Still don’t understand…” Byul whispered.

“Let me talk okay?”

Byul nodded reluctantly.

 

Yongsun then continued listing up each and every bead and what happened each year. Slowly, Byul being more and more interested and started listening more attentively.

“This,” She held her fifth bead. “This was my quests. It was my first Oracle-issued quest, I was chosen to lead a quest for the Aethiopian Drakon.” She looked at the painted head of the Drakon, the screech of that monster would forever be the stuff of her nightmares.

Finally, she held her sixth bead. A white bead painted with a rainbow. “I got this last year, this was for…” she trailed off, her mind wandering back to the horrid scenes of her last quests.

Byul tilted her head in enquiry and Yongsun cleared her throat. “This was for a friend, for Karen, a daughter of Iris.”

“What happened to Karen?”

“She… She died. It was during one of our quest, it wasn’t mine, she led it but she…” Yongsun swallowed a lump, she doesn't want to share this painful memory. Even after a year the name still stung the shadow of  guilt in her heart. Hades, she didn't even shared this with Wheein. But breathing deep, Yongsun decided to tell the girl. “She fell from her Pegasus when we got attack by wild storm spirits.”

“Oh…”

Yongsun cleared her throat. Shaking her head as if she could shake off her memories. “Anyway, what I’m trying to say here is that, you’re a demigod. The myths that explained the supernatural in this world.” Yongsun looked at Byul’s eyes, willing her to understand what she's trying to say. “We are heroes, but we are not immortal. To us, death and loss is inevitable.”

“But what if I don’t want to a be hero, what if I just want to save Seulgi?” Byul insist. Yongsun smiles softly, seeing in those eyes the reflection of herself just a year ago - broken and refusing to believe the reality of Karen’s death.

“You’ll get there, Byul. I’m sure Seulgi will be waiting.” Yongsun stood up. “But we have to go to camp first, get you to safety.” And with that Yongsun gestured for them to return back inside.

 

 

 

During breakfast, Emmie urged Yongsun and Irene to help her cook, even though the two girls insisted that they could barely cook a decent meal themselves. After a kitchen accident of the rice-cooker catching fire, the two was instead assigned to just wash the vegetables and peel them - which is a more manageable task if you ask them.

After that eventful breakfast, Jo and Emmie filled them in with happenings around the Waystation. Retelling the embarrassing stories of her father’s punishment, his destruction of the Cave of Trophonius, their siege of the Waystation together with the Hunters of Artemis and how bad his case of acne was. Zeus must’ve been really pissed.

 

Of course, Yongsun knew of these stories. A story of a god-turned-mortal and his adventures. Besides, when you’re a child of the sun god, it gets told to you as a bed time story at camp. It helps with character building they said.

She still remembers her elder half-sister, currently studying in New Rome (bless her), telling her of how Lester face planted on a dumpster the first time he was stripped of his divinity. But it’s different to hear the story from the people who experienced it, a little more information than necessary but entertaining nonetheless.

 

A few hours after their more than embarrassing recollection of events (For Yongsun, she could already feel the impending wave of teasing from her friends.) They decided to finally head out. Emmie handed her scimitars, a new pair of jeans and a silk white shirt before she steps into the shower.

 

 

A while later, their group finished freshening up and are ready to go, Jo led them outside to the rooftop garden – which was littered with Byul’s rampage earlier. Byul apologized and Jo made them clean mess as she readies the gryphons.

As they sweep the wasted fertilizers Yongsun moved towards Irene. Her friend less tense than she was earlier this morning.

“Hey, cabbage,” Yongsun bumped her friends shoulder.

“What?” The girl asks, faking her irritation.

“Titanic.”

“Oh no, don’t you da-”

“Sorry, that wasn’t a great ice breaker”

“Dear gods,” Irene groans “Why are we friends again?”

“The same reason why nobody laughs at your jokes,” Yongsun grins. “We both have lame-sense humor.”

Irene rolls her eyes but says: “Fair enough.”

 

The two continued their sweep for a few minutes before Irene asks a question.

 

“Did you apologize to the Komodo?”

Yongsun stops. “Uh…yeah.”

Irene narrows her eyes at her, unbelieving. “You sure?”

“Yeah! I apologized this morning, the Waystation led me to the Komodo.” Yongsun rolls her eyes at her friend. “How did you even befriend that creature?”

Irene sweeps a stray leaf. “I used the remaining poppy seeds to make her sleep but it wasn’t really effective and I think it made her high.”

“A lizard that big could get high? With poppy seeds?”

“Yeah, there’s a specie of poppy that has morphine.” Irene shrugged. “And yeah, the lizard got high and became really tamed. Hower didn’t want to leave her there. We talked to the lizard, Hower became my personal translator, we’ve gotten past our differences, blahh blah blah, apologized and you know, happy stuff.”

“Uh-huh. But you got her to help us?”

“Yep. Monika’s very patient and understanding. I apologized for bringing up her mom and grandmother. I talked to her a while ago, she said she’ll be heading back to her homeland.”

“Wait, what? Monika?”

“Yeah, the Komodo.”

 

Just then Lit opens the doors together with a griffin, he leads the griffin to the nest and pats its head.

Yongsun observes the scene and sees Irene doing the same.

“Are you familiar with him?” Yongsun asks offhandedly, “Jo said he’s a demigod, haven’t really seen him visit camp before, you think he’s Roman?”

Irene shifts uncomfortably, she focuses of sweeping the floor once again.

“He’s… a brother actually…” Irene whispers softly.

Yongsun’s eyes widen. “Really?”

“Well, half-brother, but yeah, he’s a son of Demeter.”

“That’s cool. Did you talk to him?”

Irene doesn’t answer, sweeps the floor more urgently as if busying herself would make Yongsun’s question vanish.

 

Jo then arrived with another griffin, this one much bigger with a rich white and gold plumage. Its red eyes blink at them.

Emmie strolled right behind them, holding a packet in her arms.

“You guys done? The griffins are ready for flight.” Jo says as she leads the griffin towards the other one.

Yongsun and the rest put their tools down and walks towards Jo.

“Alright, this is Abelard. He’s our oldest griffin around here but he still flies as fast as the younger ones go.” Jo pats her griffin, he squawks as if to agree with her. Abelard was approximately the size of a true lion, light brown fur glistening in the sun.

“And this,” She pats the other gryphon, “This is Pierre. He is Abelard’s son. He’s quite young so there’s quite an attitude, but I’m sure you guys will manage.” Pierre, in comparison with his father was smaller but more fit. He flapped his enormous wings in protest, causing dusts to blow over and knock a few potted plants.

Lit manages to calm him down as Jo clicks her tongue.

Emmie then quickly instructs them to hold out their palms as she gives them handfuls of golden Tatter Tots. “Now, you see griffins are regal creatures. To gain their trust you must hand feed them, put the food gently into their beaks.”

Hower blanches. “Won’t they like, bite our hands off if we don’t earn their trust?”

“They’ll sense if you’re not honest enough, so we’ll see.”

Emmie then gestured for them to step up. Irene and Byul go up first, slowly stepping towards the griffin while holding out their hand. Byul eyed the gryphon suspiciously but relaxed when Abelard dipped his head a little and cawed softly.

“Easy does it.” Jo instructed as the griffins flapped their wings a little.

Easily, Byul manages to approach Abelard, the griffin opening its mouth and accepting her tatter tots.

“Yes! That’s great kid!” Jo cheered as Abelard purred and nudged Byul’s hand as a sign of affection. Byul smiled brightly at the griffin and continued to pat its head.

Irene had a lot more trouble with Pierre. Yongsun now understood why they said he had attitude.

The sight of Irene’s trembling knees and shaking hands, she looked like she was about to pass out. Yongsun prayed Irene won’t lose her hand by a bird accident.

With Lit’s constant cooing, Pierre slowly calmed down and paced on his paws. Irene held out her Tot and finally Pierre opened his beak, Irene shakily puts it inside and slowly pulls her hand out.

Irene held her hand to her chest, exhaling a deep breath.

Now it was Yongsun and Hower’s turn to feed the griffins. Yongsun, like the previous two, held out her hand, slowly approaching Pierre with the Tatter Tots. Fortunately, Pierre was calmer now, and easily opened his beak. Still careful, Yongsun gently laid a Tot inside, slowly pulling and stepping away.

“That’s it! Well done, you guys!” Jo and Emmie cheered as Yongsun and Hower succeeded.

Finally, after that heart pounding session with the griffins. Jo, Lit and Emmie helped them arrange their packs and load them to the griffins.

Yongsun sat with Irene at her back, while Byul rode with Hower in Abelard.

 

“They’ve visited camp before so they’ll know the way back. Just be sure to give them Tots before departing and they’ll be happy.” Jo instructed as the four. Emmie helped as they mount the regal creatures.

 

“Have a safe trip.” Emmie nods her goodbye as she stands beside Jo, who put her arm around her shoulder.

“Tell Chiron to say hi for us.”

 

The griffins readied their wings with a flap. From the corner, Lit nods his head a little and the griffins launched into the sky.

 

 

]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was the Waystation, the description of the Waystation was based on The Dark Prophecy (2nd book of the TOA series) I just twisted it and added a little bit to accomodate the characters. 
> 
> Jo and Emmie are real characters from the book. (I love wives being kind and badasses)
> 
> As for Lit, (can't find Lit's pic) he is a son of Demeter and King Midas. He appeared in Heroes of Olympus, ToA: The Hidden Oracle and the Dark Prophecy. I don't want to spoil anything more so that's all I'll say about him. Abelard is also a real character from the book, he's a gryphon Jo and Emmie takes care of, Pierre is not though... 


	7. Chapter 7

The first time Yongsun rode an airplane was when she was nine. She can faintly remember seeing clouds form different shapes and patterns in the wind. The bright sun shining in the horizon.

It was a treasured memory, one she dreams of from time to time.

 

 

Flying with a griffin is so much different than flying in an airplane. The wind blowing through her hair, the blue sky, the clouds, the sunlight warm on her back.

It made her feel free, like if she spread her arms she’ll be able to fly.

But unfortunately, all good things always come with, less good things, like Irene squeezing her gut for two hours now.

 

Yongsun admits flying with a griffin made her sick during the first hour, especially when memories started plaguing her mind, but after fighting the visions and conditioning herself, she found the flight exhilarating.

Flying beside them – clearly enjoying themselves – are Byul and Hower. Yongsun shakes her head as she sees the two cheering loudly when Abelard ascents a few feet and swoops back down to their level.

 

“You guys will tire Abelard out easily!”  Yongsun shouts, the wind carrying her voice.

 

The griffin squawks in response.

 

“Abelard says its okay! We’re close to New York!” Hower shouts back. Yongsun just rolls her eyes. And Abelard was supposed to be the older griffin.

 

Yongsun caresses Pierre’s head, strangely, the griffin became really tame and obedient once they’ve set off. The griffin purred in approval.

 

The scenery below them has changed, from the dilapidated streets of Indiana to the crowded streets and skyscrapers of Pennsylvania. The view looking like those satellite images you see on Google maps. Yongsun watched transfixed.

 

As she looked down, the ground seemed to appear in clear focus, suddenly the winds roared in Yongsun ears in a disorienting harmony, making her clutch her ears and lose her grip on the griffin.

 

One clear feminine voice whispered.

 

 

“Beware the one with loose clothes.”

 

 

The roaring ceased. When Yongsun opened her eyes, she was plummeting to the ground.

 

 

She felt herself become weightless. Her ears filled with white noise. The sun was shone brightly overhead. Her skin felt hot. Scorched. The clouds parting as she fell from the sky.

 

 

Just before she hits the ground everything turns black.

 

 

She finally hears Irene screaming on her ears, her grip tight on her stomach. When Yongsun opens her eyes again, Pierre had gone for a dive. The wind whistled through their ears, view of Pennsylvanian skyline approaching faster and faster.

 

Yongsun finally took hold of the griffin and yanked upwards.

 

Yongsun screamed as the griffin opened his wings, flapping his huge wings wildly to slow their descent.

Pierre regained his control, he spread his wings as wide as he can and rode the winds to glide and evade the buildings.

 

Yongsun and Irene released a sigh, hearts beating crazily. Yongsun received a smack in the head from Irene, as Abelard came gliding beside them.

“Do you want to die?!” Irene screeches but searches her friends fr any type of injury that may have affected her. “Are you okay?”

Yongsun takes a steadying breath, patting the girl’s head to calm her. “I’m fine.”

 

“You guys alright?” Byul asked, looking at Yongsun and Irene with furrowed eyebrows. Her dark hair flowed with the wind, dark blue eyes shining brightly. 

 

“Yeah! Just got a little carried away!” Yongsun reassured as she coaxed Pierre to fly upwards. Passing a billboard that advertised a brand of toothpaste with a big weird woman grinning, showing her perfect set of white teeth.

 

 

Yongsun stared at the distance, eyebrows furrowing in frustration. Visions are nothing of the ordinary for demigods – as a child of Apollo it was more frequent, that’s to be expected – but while in the middle of flying in a griffin? Really? Yongsun liked to think that throughout the years, she already won a few favors of gods and goddesses alike.

 

A heads up would’ve been nice, Yongsun thought.

 

But the voice she heard this time was more feminine – a little high pitched. Definitely not the Oracle of Delphi.  

 

 

After the short burst of adrenaline, Yongsun finally felt how her hands are shaking. She heaved a sigh but her heart still pounded against her chest.

She glanced down once more and cold fear suddenly gripped her body. Freezing her muscles as a Karen’s scream echoed inside her head. A spike of terror ran through her heart.

Irene must’ve felt her stiffen as she asked Yongsun what was wrong.

 

Yongsun shook her head and looked straight ahead, breathing through hrt nose in attempt to clear her head.

 

 

 

An hour later and they were gliding in the familiar skyline of New York, the griffins wisely evaded the Empire State Building, opting to fly through Brooklyn instead.

 

 

Yongsn could feel herself slowly buzzing with excitement, Irene seemed to feel it too as she started loosening her hold and looking down the familiar green fields.

 

 

When they were close enough, the air around the camp shimmered, the mist that surrounded the borders slowly cleared. Thick forest of the western woods greeted them, on the distance Long Island Sound glittered grey in the sunlight, the cabins and newly built temples peaking just above the canopy of trees.

The forty-foot-tall chryselephantine statue of the goddess Athena looking at them. You’re alive? That’s fortunate. The grey-eyed goddess seemed to say.

 

The griffins flew over the border smoothly, pass the woods and the creek. As they flew past the Pegasus stables, a few campers who are receiving training on Pegasus horse-back riding saw them and waved, even the two kids of the west wind bumped into them in mid-air.

 

The griffins swooped down, once again scaring the shit out of Irene before landing gracefully in front of the Big House.

 

The four slowly dismounted, Hower tumbling around. Byul helped him after laughing a little.

 

Yongsun caressed Pierre’s head affectionately after she helped Irene get down. She fed him his Tatter Tots and he happily nudged her hand for more.

 

“Unnie!” A voice called. Only one person calls her that. Even without looking who it was, Yongsun already had a big smile on her face as she turned around.

 

A girl no older than thirteen with long wavy brown hair came barreling towards her with a familiar blinding megawatt smile.

 

“Wheeny!” Yongsun called and opened her arms wide as the young girl literally jumped the remaining ten feet of distance between them. The impact caused Yongsun to topple backwards, the two siblings laughing while in each other’s arms.

 

“I missed you!” Wheein managed to say in between laughs and tight hugs.

“Aww, I missed you too pup.” Yongsun squeezed her sister for one last time before getting themselves to stand up.

 

A crowd of campers have started to surrounded them wearing their armor and carrying weapons. Some of them have large oxygen tanks strapped on their backs, some still have their goggles and are dripping wet. Yongsun raised her eyebrows but dismissed any her questions for now.

From the side she could see Irene being engulfed in a group hug by her own siblings. Hower was busy leading the griffins away the mob of fully armed kids while Byul was standing in awe of just about everything. Some head councilors have already started talking to her.

 

“Welcome back.” Chiron greeted happilt as the crowd of campers parted to give him way. Chiron was not on his wheelchair, his lower white stallion half out for everyone to see, a quiver was strapped on his back, over his white shirt with a printed: Front and CENTAUR.

 

“Irene, Solar.” He smiled warmly at the demigods. “You’ve succeeded.”

 

The campers burst in cheers, chanting their names.

 

Chiron pounded his hooves against the ground to get their campers’ attention. It wasn’t effective.

 

“Halt!” He bellowed and it was then the campers’ chant died down. “As per camp tradition those who succeeded the quest shall be paraded across camp, and the honor of burning their funeral shroud.”

 

On her side, Wheein groaned. “I worked really hard on that shroud.”

 

“Stupid kid.” A boy a few feet taller than Wheein laughed. Yongsun turned to look and saw Liam, their older brother, ruffling Wheein’s hair. Liam turned towards her and smiled the same dazzling smile. Yongsun nudges him in greeting and he, in turn, wraps an arm around her shoulder.

 

“All campers, go back to your activities. Let our champions rest for a few hours before we go to the Amphitheater for the burning of shrouds-”

 

From the collective groans of campers, Byul raised her hand. “Sir?”

 

The focus of the whole crowd was now on her. Expecting her to ask where she is, what is this place, cry or throw a tantrum, demand to see their lawyer - they’ve seen a lot.

 

Chiron fixed her an inquisitive stare. Yongsun could already see the centaur assessing the new blood.

 

Without a note of hesitation, Byul stated her question. “How’s your back?”

 

Chiron looked flabbergasted. The campers started laughing and giggling but Byul didn’t seem to mind.

 

“Hello to you too young one.” Chiron smiled patiently. “My back is fine, thank you for your concern.”

 

“Really? You’re like, a walking L-shape, how is your spine bent like that? Why are you a half-horse? How do you even sleep?” Byul continued to ask as she gestured at Chiron’s backside. The campers once again roared in laughter and Yongsun was certain this was the first time she has ever seen Chiron so flustered.

 

“I’ll take care of this.” Suddenly a girl who looks only a year younger than Wheein slung an arm around Byul’s shoulder.

 

“Oi, Joy, I know what you are doing, leave the girl alone.” Yongsun warned. Looking at Joy’s older siblings from cabin eleven to scold the child. The kids just shrugged their shoulders, mischievous smiles on their lips.

 

“Irene, reign your child.” Yongsun called out to her friend, pointing at Joy who just rolled her eyes and flipped her long dark hair.

 

“That’s not my child.” Irene scoffed but glared at Joy nonetheless. Joy merely smiled and blew her a kiss.

 

“Well, if we’re done here. Me and-” She turned to the girl and asked her name. Joy’s eyes widened before smiling brightly. “Byul here will be out for a tour.” Joy then started to lead the girl away from the crowd, she then called out “Wheein?”

 

“Coming!” Wheein ran towards the two before Yongsun could even call out to her.

 

Chiron then raised his hands and gestured for the campers to resume their activities. Liam patted Yongsun’s shoulder.

“Good to see your face again, sis.” The boy grinned.

“Yours too, Liam. I’ll see you guys later.”

 

Shooing away her older brother, Yongsun finally focused on Irene and Chiron. The centaur then turned towards the two girls with a raised eyebrow.

“Byul? I assume she’s also Korean?”

The two girls shrugged. “Probably.”

Chiron didn’t look convinced. “She’s… interesting.”

Yongsun holds her hands up. “I didn’t know she’s weird,”

 

Irene rolled her eyes and walked towards Chiron. “Can we talk?”

Yongsun immediately walked to her friend.

“Go away.” Irene tried to shoo her away but the blonde stubbornly remained by her side.

 

“Well, why don’t we talk inside the Big House.” Chiron nodded then looked at some of the kids that are still around. “Tell Liam he can supervise the archery lesson while I’m gone. No using of rocket launchers or any other projectile to hit the target alright?” The kids groaned in protest, trudging towards the archery range.

 

The two, together with Chiron walked towards the porch of the Big House. The usual grumpy, droopy-eyed Mr. D was nowhere to be found.

Normally he’d be sitting in the porch playing pinochle with Chiron, sometimes with an unlucky satyr.

 

“Where’s Mr. D?” Yongsun asks. No, of course he doesn’t miss him, the god never really did her any good.

“Filed a vacation.” Chiron says nonchalantly, they raise their eyebrows but he avoids eye contact.

“He can do that?”

Chiron shrugs. Trotting towards his magic wheelchair that was parked beside the door.

“He fulfilled much of his duty in the past decades, having a few weeks of vacation is well deserved.”

As the centaur slowly backs up to his magical wheelchair, the two demigod pulled up the chairs on Mr. D’s pinochle table and sat down.

“And you agreed?”

Chiron pushes his wheelchair to the other side of the table. “You must know that I have no such power to hold him back from his wishes. Much like how adventure calls for heroes.”

 

At the mention of adventure, Irene straightens and looks at Chiron dead in the eye.

“I have to tell you something.” She glances at Yongsun for a second. “I don’t think Byul is supposed to be here.”

Yongsun was dumbfounded. “What?!” She almost shouts.

Irene sighs and starts rubbing her temples. “This is why I told you to go away.”

“Wait what? What do you mean she’s not supposed to be here? She’s a demigod, she passed straight through the border.” Yongsun scowls.

Irene takes a deep breath, “I saw Seulgi in my dreams just before we arrived to Rocky Springs-”  

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Yongsun interrupts.

“Just because.” Irene stammered a little. Yongsun knows that habit and pays serious attention to what the girl is going to say next. “I didn’t know who she was! All I knew I that I saw her in my dreams, who knows it might’ve just been a deity messing with my mind and making me see pretty girls.”

Yongsun scoffs in disbelief. “So instead of telling me you’re worried that the girl you saw in your dreams was just a product of your stupid mind?”

Irene now flushes in bright crimson. “Well-!”

Chiron finally clears his throat. “Girls.” He said calmly but his eyes showed some frustration.

 

“Irene, as you were saying.”

 

Irene turns back to Chiron and clears her throat. Throwing a brief glare towards her best friend. “Yes. Like I said, I don’t think it was wise that we brought her here.”

“That’s because she caught you off-guard and you’re salty about it…” Yongsun murmured.

“Yong, I’m not saying that Byul is not trustworthy. I’m just saying – remember when I was caught off-guard? I tried to pry her off and throw her against the ground, but she easily countered my movements. You can’t just do that without knowing how to execute the technique.”

“But the prophecy said: And fail and leave with the one who got stung.” Yongsun mused. “Byul took a literal spike for me.”

“Yes, but prophecies are cryptic. It could mean one or the other. But what’s more important is that Seulgi and Byul didn’t seem confused nor alarmed by the thought of monsters being real.”

“It could be the mist.” Yongsun insisted, already not liking where the conversation is going.

Irene sigh exasperatedly. “You know it’s not just that, Yongsun.”

 

Yongsun leaned back a little, her mind racing with all the thought and suspicions she had. After moments of analyzing, Yongsun bit her lip. “So, you’re saying, that she’s no ordinary feral demigod?”

“Exactly.”

“Okay.” Yongsun nods pensively. “I remember her saying they escaped from a convoy, and them hailing from New York. If they’re from around here, shouldn’t deployed satyrs already brought them back?” Both of the demigods then look at Chiron. Apprehension radiating from their stares.

“Both feral demigods like that, assuming they received no training, can never lasts out there for more than a few weeks, days even.” Irene states, her tone suggesting something Yongsun does not want to think about.

“Unless they’ve been receiving help from their godly parent. Their being chased by monsters, we can at least be sure that Byul and Seugi are half-bloods.” Yongsun proposes, but the heaviness that weighed on the air remained.

Irene shook her head. “Gods barely pays their children at camp attention, even after camp started building more cabins and temples in their honor. It’s just how they are. I doubt they’ll give unnecessary attention to a certain child out on a whim-” Once again Irene stops, her mind reeling a little from a realization. She stares at Chiron; whose eyes were stormy. An unreadable expression upon his face.

 

“Unless a new great prophecy is once again upon us.”

 

It was as if lightning struck right in the middle of their table. The hairs of Yongsun’s nape stood up. Her body buzzing with tense energy

 

Chiron, finally, releases a deep breath. He looks so much older now, as if the years are starting to catch up on him.

 

“A Great Prophecy is indeed dawning upon us. I can’t say much but we hope that it will not be due until a few more years, maybe even another decade.”

“But the manti-” Irene almost slips. “We saw the man-eater. A monster that’s supposed to be still reforming in Tartarus. Does this mean that there is another Great Stirring?”

As if on cue, thunder rolled from the sky. Chiron sighs in irritation. “Let’s just say that hopefully it’ll be few more years before anything happens, until then the Prophecy may be delayed further.”

 

For a few moments, Irene and Yongsun sat there in shocked silence. Finally, Irene manages.

 

“So, our hunch, about an emperor…?”

 

Chiron nods grimly. “A possibility. Honestly, I don’t know how they manage to reform, Apollo has defeated them and restored the spirit of Delphi.”

“Then that means their improving their forces, taking feral demigods and training them as soldiers. Shouldn’t we issue a quest for that?” Yongsun hisses.

Chiron shakes his head. “Miss Dare is busy as of lately, I think she’s somewhere in California right now, helping some Romans and nymphs propagate healthier living and help with issues about global warming.” He then rubs his temple, “Also, The Grove of Dodona has been quiet. I think it is still pissed off from when Cabin eleven pulled a mice prank.”

 

At that Irene quickly shot up from her seat. “What!?” Yongsun knew of the small fondness children of Demeter had for the grove, so it was no surprise when Irene quickly stormed off towards the woods. Probably out to hunt Joy and give her some mighty spanking.

 

As Yongsun watch her friend’s figure disappear, she heaved a sigh. Thinking back to the past days. Heavy dread weighting boulders upon her shoulders.

 

Her thoughts were quickly interrupted as Chiron called for her.

 

“Solar, go get some rest. Take a bath, have something to eat. I doubt you ate anything through your flight with the Gryphons.”

 

“You’re right.” Yongsun stands up, just in time for her stomach to growl. Chiron chuckled a little and waved her off.

Just as she steps out of the porch Chiron spoke once again.

 

“Stop overthinking, Solar. You’ve succeeded on your quest. Enjoy your break and don’t think about any prophecies for now.”

                                                                                       

 

 

 

For now.


End file.
